


Song of Sea, Hand of Hunger

by Child_ofthe_Gods, SebastianHarkenMoran



Category: Children of the Gods (Viri and Pen)
Genre: Assassins, Character Death, Child Abuse, Child Death, Death, Drowning, Drug Abuse, Drug Addiction, Drug Use, Drug Withdrawal, Dwarves, Elves, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/F, F/M, Fantasy, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Graphic Description, Graphic Description of Corpses, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kobolds, M/M, Minor Character Death, Miscarriage, Murder, Murder Husbands, Near Death, Original Universe, Other, Past Child Abuse, Rape Aftermath, Rape Recovery, Rape/Non-con Elements, Recreational Drug Use, Romance, Sirens, Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Surgery, Temporary Character Death, Torture, Verbal Abuse, War, and fucking can modify 'long' or 'story' there, but ladies, but really it isn't as bad as it sounds, free shipping on all returns, grifters, guaranteed or your money back, it's a long fucking story, stupid idiot romance, the point is just read, whomp, you know the type, you'll like it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-28
Updated: 2020-03-10
Packaged: 2020-09-28 06:33:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 39,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20421506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Child_ofthe_Gods/pseuds/Child_ofthe_Gods, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SebastianHarkenMoran/pseuds/SebastianHarkenMoran
Summary: Serena is a siren who has never left her sheltered life in the ocean among her people- then she is lured out of the water by a quick-talking half-elf with an interest in her powers. She falls in with the half-elf, Anthea, and her criminal crew, and they begin an adventure of mayhem, long cons, and grifts.But when the country's most feared criminal mastermind, the Hunger, takes notice of them, things become more complicated. Threats of death and torture nip at their heels as they struggle to stay out of his hands, and to stick by their own- rather twisted- code.As Serena and Anthea grow closer, they need to find a way to keep the Hunger at bay, away from them, their friends, and the potentially devastating power of a leashed siren.





	1. Song of Land and Sea (If we're being poetic)

**Author's Note:**

> The authors would like to inform you that the tense of this work shifts back and forth a bit in the first few chapters as they get used to their own writing styles. If you have an issue with this, the authors would like to suggest that you suck it and deal.

On the coastline of the Inner Sea, the night water crashes against the shore. The moon shines in a clear dark sky.

A siren’s skin shines iridescent and pale in the moonlight, and long black hair that looks like it has never been cut falls over bare shoulders. She wears no clothes, but her breasts have a layer of scales lining the bits that her hair isn't covering. The scales on her body and tail are the colors of a tropical coral reef, spanning from deep blues and midnight blacks to a light jade green, a few flashes of pastel pinks here and there.

Serena lays out on her favorite rock close to the shore as she absorbs the warmth from that day’s sun. This is one of her favorite spots to come when things are too crazy down beneath. She knows it is looked down upon to surface, but the only ones who spoke about it had never really surfaced before. How could they have known about it if they never risked it in the first place? 

She thinks about this as she lays there, her tail grazing the top of the dark green water and the sound of the surf hitting the beach behind her.

Truth be told, she has never dared to come up in the full light only because she is not ready for that light on her face. Sure, she loves the warmth it gives to her rocks, but to feel that on herself? Not anytime soon, thank you very much.

She will try it someday, but not today.

As she sits in deep thought, she realizes that she senses something disturbing her peace. She looks around to see what it is, ready to leave at the first sign of trouble.

Flicking her tail back and forth over the waters edge, Serena tries to listen and feel what it is that she senses, to no avail. Deciding to not tempt the fates any more than she already has, she sits up and stretches her arms over her head, lifting her eyes to the sky one more time. Then turning, she glances back at the shore, and freezes.

There is a landling, looking at her like they are witnessing something amazing. The thought crosses her mind-  _ it probably is- _ before she could help it. The landling said something to her, but she slid herself down the rock, fast and practiced, back into the water. She stays just under the surface, hoping that it is dark enough to hide her.

~.~

Anthea murmurs a quiet swear to herself as the creature slips back into the water. Scrade had sworn on his purse that the beach was clear of sentients, but whoever the woman had been, her eyes had the spark of understanding.

Still... the moonlight is still feeble and she doubts the creature had seen much. She could leave now, go about her business... She turns to leave, and heads down the beach.

She gets less than ten feet before she is turning back around, removing her boots and wading into the dark water, curiosity telling her there is more to be gained in that direction than would be lost in a night's delay of her other plans.

~.~

Serena feels the disruption of the water when the landling enters. She sways in the slow current waiting to see what will happen. Her sense of curiosity pulls at her as she swims slowly towards the beach and the shallower water. The song of the Ocean reverberates through the rocks and waves as she gets closer, like it crashes and sings for those on land, calling to them.

Never having been this close to the shore, her heartbeat increases. The feeling of butterflyfishes swimming in her belly is something new to her.

_ Maybe if I just poke my head out, _ she thought, as she was only a few feet away. Slowly, she did. 

~.~

The surf was a bit rough, but Anthea had grown up in the sea, and shifted easily with its insistent tugs. She was just past her waist in the waves when she saw a dark head rise out of the water. She stilled, a hand near the knife concealed in her wide cloth belt, waiting.

Serena does not move closer, instead, seeing the landling hesitate, she backpedals with a flick of her tail and thinks to herself  _ Perhaps it would be best to leave…  _ She knows nothing about this world. She was nervous, and the ocean sounds had stopped.

Flicking her tail in a splash to get its attention she quickly hummed the tune of the water. It was a hauntingly eerie sound. Hoping to calm the nerves of this...female? She was not sure.

~.~

The creature backed away slightly, and started... singing? Must have been singing. Or at least, the sound was musical in nature. It flowed well with the breaking of waves. She stayed still, eyes on what she could make out of the creature in the gloom. Her face was mostly hidden under dark hair, but not in a way that felt sinister. More shy. She spoke, quietly. "Hello...."

~.~

As she looks into its eyes for a moment a thought struck her._ I'm Interacting with a landling...never thought that would happen._ She opened her mouth and a sound that was as smooth as the water in a calm sea came out. "Hello..." Smiling, her teeth had the slightest jagged edge to them. Not sure what else to do, she waits, still thinking- _maybe I should leave._

~.~

"What are you?" Anthea asked, bluntly, but not unkindly, taking in what detail she could glean. The teeth were meant for meat, that was clear, and she hadn't discarded the possibility that she  _ was  _ said meat.

Did this creature truly not know what she was? Had the whole of the dry world forgotten in such a short time? Or perhaps this one was just a bit thick in the head. She did not know but still answered in a soft voice, "I am a song of the sea, what, may I ask, are you?" Serena looked up and down as she asked this.

"A song of the sea..." Anthea mulled the response over, lips quirking into a small smirk. "Then I'm a song of the land, if we're being poetic. Or an elf. Whichever rolls off the tongue." Half-elf, really, but she wasn't fond of the mathematics behind that.

Pausing to think for a moment, she flicks her tail and moves up with the rush of a wave, watching as the elf keeps its balance. Noting this, she gradually gets closer. "Can you swim, landling?" she asks with a slight hint of a grin. 

Anthea considers the being carefully, evaluating whether or not responding was a good idea, but then gives a curt nod. "As well as any 'landling', I suppose."

Serena nods, then sinks back down till the water is at her chin, "Were you going to swim?" She looks at the land and then back, honestly curious. Is this something that is done often? 

"A bit farther up, yes. But you caught my interest." She took a half step closer, testing her limits.

"What caught your interest? I was doing nothing. " Her eyes widen a bit as it moves closer to her, she blurts out nervously "What is your name?" Then she rolls back with a wave, putting more space between them. 

Anthea sees the nervous retreat and stops, her face relaxing into an easy smile usually reserved for skittish marks. "You were stretching, the light caught your skin beautifully. I was wondering what it was you were doing out here... so here I am. My name is Anthea. A pleasure meeting you. Your name, by the way, is...?"

"I was... warming myself. On my rock. Anthea..." she rolls the name off her tongue and smiles, lifting herself up out of the water with a strong push of her tail, "I like that name. It's fun to say. It moves like a wave in my mouth. " She dips back down again, almost as if she hadn't really thought about moving at all, that it was just reactionary. 

She laughed at that, a deep quiet sound, and smiled. "I'm glad you like it. I'm fond of it myself. And what am I to call you?"

"You...can call me, Serena." She says quietly. Taken by the musical sound that escaped Anthea's mouth. She reaches out with a slim pale arm, scales glinting in the moonlight. Then, catching herself, she drops the arm before her hand could touch anything, losing her nerve.

Anthea sees the movement, and her smile widens just a little. She raises a slim, dark eyebrow, extending her hand slowly, unobtrusively, an invitation. "It's alright. I'm not going to bite." She shifts to ease through a particularly large swell. The water is fairly warm, as it usually was this time of year, but it's still cool in the breeze as the water recedes down her body, leaving her dark tunic clinging in its wake. Her eyes study the creature- Serena- in front of her carefully, still piecing together details. The uncommon shimmer of scales; long, dark hair; curious, thoughtful eyes.

Serena shifted and grabbed her arm, running her fingers along it in fascination. Her skin was so textured. almost like a sponge coral. But it had tiny hairs that made her think of a seal or something like that. She herself was smooth and soft. "You have a very unique texture. I did not think would be so." Up close, the elf can see that the scales around her chest and breasts are smaller and delicate, then grow larger around her ribs and downward. Serena's hands are soft and have small fin-like flairs off her lower wrist that span up to her mid arm. Sliding her attention to the hand, Serena looks at the fine lines and swirls that cross back and forth. She smiles then, with a strong grip, she pulled the girl farther away from the shore.

The half-elf considered Serena, as well. The being's skin was cool against her own- not clammy, certainly, but cool, and smooth as glass, though softer. The scales were fascinating, drawing her eyes like a guided tour to a body that was alien, but beautiful.

Anthea chuckled quietly at the comment about texture, and felt the sharp eyes of the other... woman (certainly a woman) drift over her, lighting with unknowing curiosity on features just a bit too broad for an elf, ears just a breath too short, and dark brown eyes.

Suddenly the hand closed around her wrist as she was pulled outward. For a moment her free hand was at her knife, ready... but the woman didn't pull her down, just out, eyes alight with amusement. She kicked off the bottom and swam as she lost her footing. "Where are we going?"

Serena 's eyes lightened with a joyful spark, like the glint of sun on a wave. Everything about this new woman was fascinating and dangerous. Her aunts would certainly disapprove of all of what she was doing. And that made it all the more thrilling. With a gleeful hum, Serena answered, "You  _ can _ swim! Although-" she stopped and dipped under to watch the two legs flail around up and down opposite each other. That was strange to say the least. Rising again she continued, "-in a very strange way."

"Well, in fairness..." she smirked, before ducking beneath the waves for a moment to look at the woman more clearly. She surfaced again, grinning. "Not all of us have a... tail? Fin? You'd probably walk in a very strange way." Her expression is light, teasing.

She thinks about it for a moment. "I'm sure if I tried, you would be right. But, why would I do that?"

Anthea shrugged. "In case you ever wanted to see what was up there. It's a big world." She reached up to push her hair back out of her face a bit.

Serena stops pulling her. "I could just change. Its looked down upon but...I could." Then she pulled her the rest of the way to the rock she had been on originally. She slides up with a wave and lays out. Her full form is about 8 ft long from tip of tail to head.

Anthea climbs up onto the rock next to her, sitting cross legged on the warm, wet stone, streams of water drizzling out of her hair and off her nose until she shook it out. She looked up and down the moonlit figure, taking in the long, smooth tail, scales shimmering mutely in the dim light refracted off the water. She couldn't tell their color well, but she could see the cords of muscles shifting beneath, see the power the beauty masked. She didn't speak at first, letting the conversation rest easy for a moment as she took in the new creature. Eventually she asked, "What do you mean, change?"

"Change, as in..." She waves her hand at her tail then over to the woman's legs. "It is not something we do...ever. But we can." She flicks the tip of her tail in the water, little waves swirling around it.

"Why don't you do it?" she asked, eyes flicking back up to the woman's face. Her hair had fallen back now, a bit, her features a bit clearer.

Selena opens her mouth "Because..."

A look of confusion crosses her face, and she closes her mouth. She doesn't have an answer. She shouldn't be telling the landing these things. She changes the topic. "Why don't you stay out in the water? You can swim..."

"I'd get tired eventually, and drown," she said with a smirk, not missing the topic change. "And I fancy living."

She looked appalled at that idea. Then an even worse idea came across her brain, in a slightly nervous voice she says, "I wonder if something like that would happen to me, if I spent time on land."

She raised an eyebrow, and smirked. "If you're meant to grow legs, I imagine you could survive a while, but don't wander too far the first try. Or just ask someone, I'm sure someone knows."

She flicks her tail again and says, "You're the only landling I have ever spoken to. And you are very interesting, but I don't think I will be doing this again any time soon. My aunts will be furious at me for even surfacing, let alone talking to a... well... you."

Anthea grinned at that. "Who says they have to know? Come on, darling, can't tell me this isn't a bit thrilling, breaking all the rules."

"You speak very, oddly. Do all of your kind talk this way?" She leans her body up and props herself on her elbows.

"What's so odd about it?" she asks, leaning back on her own elbows, mirroring the position in reverse.

She shrugs, "Do I not sound strange to you?" Her tone did in fact rise and flow like the water and her use of her vocabulary was slow, like she didn't talk this way often.

She shrugged. "You sound different. But I've met plenty of people who do. Your voice is lovely."

Serena grinned at the complement and dipped her head in gratitude. "As for breaking the rules, well, I am doing that now. And it is rather exciting. "

"Why is talking to a landling off limits?" she asked, shifting enough to dip her toes in the water.

She scrunched her nose. "Surfacing is the problem actually, I don't even want to think about what talking to you would add to my being in trouble. And it's just... we have not had much luck with being seen in our history. I mean, we do...well my aunts do come up occasionally but..." She shakes her head. "The point being, I'm not supposed to be up here."

She tilted her head back, looking up at the stars. "But here you are. And you haven't seen anything yet. 

"What do you mean? I have seen plenty. What more is there?" Serena was genuinely interested and happy to be having this conversation. She would never be able to tell anyone about it, but at least she could remember.

"Cities," she said, sitting back. "Forests and mountains, volcanoes. Festivals and wars, fire, horses, birds... the world beyond the water."

"What are those things?" She slides back into the water and dips to stay wet. Then rushes back up with the next wave to lay on her belly instead.

The water washes over her, and she smiles. "Words cannot properly describe. You'd have to see with your own eyes."

In a playful tone Serena asks, "Are you offering to be my guide?" and flicks water at the female with her tail.

She laughs. "Nothing less. I'm always looking for someone new, someone with interesting talents... I'd love to give you the grand tour." She winks.

This could not be happening... Was she really thinking of leaving the water? That morning her aunts had scolded her about failing to do her duty, and now she was really going to go into land with this, strange landling. She didn't even know what to expect or how to act. "What is your assigned life task?"

"My... assigned life task...?" she murmured, incredulous. "My job? I'm a contractor, I suppose. Independent law enforcement. And you?"

"I... what does that mean? An independent law enforcement?" She avoided the question in hopes that it would be forgotten.

"It means a lot of things. Mostly, I level the playing field." She looked over, saw the nervous shift of the woman's shoulders. "What about you?" she asked again, giving her a reassuring smile.

She slaps her tail and says "I'm what the landling would call...death on the waves. I am not sure what the name would be...but I'm a Caller." She waited to see what her reaction would be. She wasn't ashamed, but she has witnessed the sadness from other landlings from afar and was not sure how this one would react.

That so few words could spark her interest so intently surprised her. She locked eyes with the creature, head tilted, lips parted slightly in concentration as she studied her. "What do you do, precisely...?"

Serena slid off the rock and out into the water, then started to hum, the song of the ocean, the song that flowed in her veins and was settled deep in her heart. It churned the waters around her and the wind picked up just a touch to whip Anthea's hair around. It pulled the elf’s attention.

She watched, eyes a bit wide, felt an odd fascination tugging at her. She shifted toward the edge of the rock slowly. The creature's scales glistened with odd, mesmerizing patterns, and she followed them absently, before returning her gaze to the woman's face. She was beautiful...

Serena stopped before the woman could slide off the rock. She settled the water around her and waited for her to come back to her senses.

She did so slowly, her heart hammering, hands gripping the rock when she had the sense to do so. She looked up at Serena after a moment, awed and still a bit dazed.

"The face you are making..." She tilted her head a bit and swam backwards, "I should leave." She started to sink back into the water. She should have never done that.

"No!" she said quickly, the corner of her mouth twitching upward slightly into a dazed smile. "No, that was... that was amazing."

She stops and looks confused. "Really? "

"How often can you do that?" she asks, eagerly, eyes alight.

"How…often? Well, whenever I want to, I suppose. Why...?" She swims closer but stays in the water.

"Gods..." Anthea had a bit of a giddy grin on, and turned back. "Come with me. I'll show you around, we'll have fantastic adventures, you can help people with that... that song of yours..."

"Help people? How would that help people? And, well, I don't know. I could...maybe...no... " she twirled her hair around her finger and thought.

"I told you. My job is levelling the playing field a bit," she said, still eager. "Taking down those who have the power but shouldn't. I work in unconventional ways... someone like you would be a major asset."

"I know nothing about your culture or laws. And... well...it could be fun I suppose." She sounds a bit frightened

"Laws are easy," Anthea scoffed. "Culture is subjective, you'll pick it up fast."

"You know what...? Yes!" Serena grins. To the depths with her over protective aunts. She was old enough to do this.

Anthea smirks right back, eyes practically sparking with energy. "Excellent. Excellent, excellent..." She sat back, closing her eyes and taking a slow breath to calm her excitement. "Alright. How do we do this?"

" I... well...I'm not sure. To tell you the truth. I know the theory but, it hasn't been done, not in forever. " She slides up onto the rock next to the woman.

Anthea nodded slightly, eyes roving over the siren again, this time almost clinically, interested. "What's the theory?"

"Stay out of the water long enough and my tail will split into legs. " Serena looks uncomfortable about that idea but she wanted to try. Really wanted to. 

She raised an eyebrow. "Is it reversible?" she asked, considering the surf and the somewhat distant beach, glowing pale in the moonlight.

"If I go back into the water, I suppose that it will change back. Like I said, it’s a theory. The only way to know is to try, I suppose. " She follows the woman’s gaze to the beach. Her own eyes searching for anything that would give her the answer she looked for, but she found nothing.

"Well, then..." Anthea said after a moment, turning to look at Serena, a mischievous smile slowly forming. "Let's try it."


	2. What's this? What's this? There's landlings everywhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _We already have the first book of the series completed, so we hope to update fairly regularly. If the chapters continue to be about this length, we're looking at about a hundred chapters in book one, so hopefully updates will be pretty regular for a while! Thanks for reading, all, and as always, comments make us treat the characters [better/worse/more like whatever you're hoping for]. Definitely. Always. _
> 
> _Bye all,_
> 
> _The Children of the Gods_

She turns to look out to the waves and the open water before her. "Give me a few moments. I will be back. " She sinks back into the water and disappears into the darkness.

Anthea raises a hand to stop her, but she disappears quickly, and the half-elf is left waiting to see whether Serena will lose her nerve.

Serena dives down deep and takes a few calming breaths as she slows. She comes to a flat outcropping of coral and grabs a small bundle made of rope netting, wrapping it around her middle. It holds a few items that she always carries but rarely bring up to the surface. Looking around, she admires the murky water and grins, then heads back up.

Anthea smiles when the siren surfaces. "Good. Ready to go, then?"

The look in her eyes screams  _ yes _ , but there is still a small glint of hesitation. She reaches out her hand for Anthea to come off the rock. The idea of touching the landling makes her heart race even more.

Anthea reaches out and takes Serena's hand, squeezing it gently, encouragingly, before sliding into the water.

With a powerful thrust of her tail, Serena shoots towards the shore. She crests a large wave and rides atop it as it rolls onto the beach and the still sun-warmed sand. 

Anthea is caught off guard by the speed at which Serena pulls her, and it is all she can do to keep her head above water as they crash in toward the shore. She is laughing, however, as they slip up onto the sand, exhilarated. "Fuck... that was fun."

"Was it? I could do that again if you wish, from farther out." She smiles.

"Some time soon,” she agrees, standing and walking over to where she had left her boots. "For the moment.... let's see if we can make this transformation thing work."

Serena pulls herself up out of the surf as far as she can with the help of the water, then by just her arms. She is much heavier out of the water, though, and her arms grow tired quickly. When she stops, her lower half is still being brushed with water. "Could you...maybe...?"

Anthea glances over, hiding a small smile. "Of course." She walks over, setting her boots nearby and sliding her arms under Serena's, pulling slowly but steadily away from the water. The woman's skin was cool on hers, the scales odd patches of hard resistance against her arms

Serena nods her thanks after she is put down. She lays back and closes her eyes. Her body does not move with the roll of the water- she is still, and her head swims because of it. "I do not feel well at all. "

Anthea sits beside her, watching. "What feels off?" she asks curiously, making careful mental notes.

"The world is still. But my head still spins." She takes a deep breath.

The half-elf nods in understanding. "I went on a ship for a few months once. I felt much the same when returning to land. It will pass. Breathe deeply."

She nods and can feel her scales beginning to dry out. Making a face, she asks, "How do you stand the stillness? It is quite unnerving. "

Anthea shrugs. "Most people say the same thing about the movement of the ocean. We don't really think much about it."

Serena laughs, and it sounds musical and pleasing to the ears. "I suppose that would make sense...tell me, what am I going to be doing for you, exactly? Or ‘with you’ I suppose is a better question. And what brought you down to the water to begin with?"

Anthea tilts her head a bit at the laugh. It's infectious, and she smiles a bit despite herself. "I have a... group, I suppose you'd call it. People with various skills. We help the unfortunates. There's a lot of them. Tonight, I was going to collect a... charitable donation, you could call it, from a local lord. He wasn't going to be particularly aware of his donation until later, but he can certainly afford it."

Thinking about that, she props herself up and tucks her hair behind an ear. It’s oddly shaped, with a point like an elf, and webbing that follows the curve of the ear. "You are going to take wealth from this landling? Unwillingly?"

"The landling is an asshole, to use the technical vernacular," she says, smirking. "We're going to take away some of his unearned leisure and give it to people who need it instead. It's one of the many things we do to make things a little fairer."

"I suppose that makes some bit of sense," the siren nods, as a shiver rolls across her body. Her temperature is rising, and she can feel it.

"We'll get into details as we go,” Anthea says dismissively, eyeing the shiver with a touch of concern. "Let me know if you need anything.”

Serena’s scales are starting to dry out and lose their smoothness, and her tail is fading rapidly from its current dark blue, taking on a sickly pallor. 

The siren sits in silence for a few more minutes, her expression becoming pained as scales on her lower half begin to crack and flake off. She lifts her hand in surprise as a few tears slip down her face, and looks to her new companion, confused. 

Anthea tilts her head, also puzzled by the siren’s implied question, until she realizes that in a world of saltwater, tears would never be noticed. "It's natural," she assures her quietly, reaching out to take the woman's free hand. "We do it often on land."

"Alright…." She shifts, and her tail cracks open like a shell, surprising them both. It falls away slowly, thin like snakeskin, mixing into the sand and revealing a set of slim, softly tones legs. "That was...disturbing to say the least..."

She raises an eyebrow, nodding a bit. "It wasn't the best thing I've ever seen," she agrees, eyeing the rapidly decaying tail. She shifts her hand instinctively to Serena's wrist, checking her pulse, before realizing she has no idea what the woman's heart rate is supposed to be. "Try moving them."

She tries to lift them, and they both rise up a fraction before dropping back to the sand. She looks confused. “I... this is going to be difficult." She reaches down and bends one of them up by itself. "So odd..."

Anthea laughs. "I suppose it would be. Take your time, I'll give you a hand if you need it." She looks the siren over. She still has some scales, and her skin is much the same as before, though it is slowly drying. An interesting change, to be certain. "We'll need to find you some clothes first."

"Clothes?" she asks as she slowly moves her foot and wiggles her toes. "Why?" 

"Because landlings don't walk around stark," she says with a smirk. "Much as I and many others might enjoy it if you did."

Serena gives her a confused look and glances down at herself. Her side scales are mostly gone, and her hips and sides are bare. A slim ridge of fin remains along her arms and legs, and along her spine. Her breasts do still have some on the sides as do her wrists. She leans a bit and Anthea can see a line of them flowing up her spine that lead into her hairline. "I suppose that it may be needed after all."

"I've got a spare change in the kit bag I left further up the beach. Didn't want to walk home wet. They won't fit quite right, but they'll do. Ready to try standing?"

"If you think that you can take on most of my weight. I'm not sure what to do here." She lifts her hand up to the woman. 

She stands, and bends to wrap an arm around the other woman's waist, shifting Serena's arm around her shoulders. "Take it slow," she cautions, straightening and lifting the other woman with her.

She lets out a scream of pain and her knees give out. As she drops she cries out again. 

Anthea sets her down quickly, setting her back on the sand, her expression tense but collected, eyes sharp. "What hurts?" she asks, easing Serena to lay back.

"It feels like my legs, " She pauses at that as it is not a normal word in her vocabulary. Then continues, "...Like I have urchins stuck everywhere." 

She nods, shifting down and reaching out to smooth clinical hands over the woman's new appendages, pressing muscles carefully and looking for signs of damage. "Let me know if something hurts."

"It all hurts" she snaps harshly, then looks sheepish and drops her head. "You must forgive me. You have done nothing to receive my ire. I am just...scared." She lets the woman run her hands over her lower half and tries to relax. 

"Don't apologize. I'm certain this is unnerving." She starts massaging carefully just below the woman's knee, working down. The legs are cooler than the rest of her body and she wonders if her body is still catching up on circulation. "I'm not magically inclined, and I don't have my healer's kit with me. But if we can get you to my home, my healer can assist."

"How far away is that?" She cringes a touch at a few of the areas that are rubbed. "That is feeling a bit better actually." 

"Then we'll do this for a few minutes. It's a few miles, but if I need to carry you I probably can, with breaks. I've done worse." She continues massaging firmly but carefully.

"Miles...?" she asks but continues to let her rub.

"Ah... huh. About an hour's walk," she clarified, as best she could anyway. "A bit longer if I'm carrying you, but that's alright."

"I feel as if this is going to be the beginning of a very long time of misunderstandings. I do not know what an hour is. Or a mile for that matter. Perhaps with a little bit of time you could show or explain it to me." She smiles

She laughs. "Well, when we go back I will show you a mile, and an hour, both good places to start. How do you track time, where you come from?"

"Activity of the sea life and the temperature. For those who are nearer the surface, they do get light and dark, but most of us are deep down. I think we could try again." She places her hand on Anthea's shoulder. 

She nods, moving to a crouch and wrapping her arm around the woman again. "On three. One, two... three." She lifts again, slowly, ready to set Serena back down again in an instant if need be.

She winces as she is pulled upright, but her legs stay under her. She is a bit shaky, but still up. 

Anthea shifts her grip to be more around the woman's waist, holding her firmly as support. "There we go. Much better."

"You are much taller than I thought you were. Or perhaps I am shorter now. " she smiles and tries to lift her left leg

"Both, maybe," she chuckles. "Your legs are certainly much shorter than your tail. Good thing, too. Legs that long would be terrifying."

"Terrifying? How so?" she asks, curious

"It would just look... wrong. Most landlings have legs at least near this proportion to their body. Legs as long as your tail would be... off." She shrugged. "Try lifting the other leg. You're doing well."

She lifts the other one and smiles to herself. "This is a good thing, right? Also, I now understand the reasoning behind not changing. Or maybe it gets better." 

"Maybe, who knows? It didn't look pleasant, either way." She smiles as Serena shifted feet. "But it looks like you're getting the hang of it."

They do this for a few minutes until they are farther up away from the water. Serena is damp from the effort and is painting slightly. "How much farther?" 

She smiles gently. "It's a fair bit farther than this. For now, sit, let me put on my boots, and I'll carry you a ways."

"Alright." she sits and rubs her legs as watches as Anthea puts on her boots.

"Stay here a minute," Anthea says quietly, before standing and jogging down the beach. A few minutes later she returns with a pack over her shoulder, and sets it down by the other woman, starting to dig through. She pulls out a tunic and a pair of breeches and hands them over. "Here, these will do for now."

She takes the tunic and looks it over, "How...?" She pulls it over her head and slides her arms through the head hole as well then looks at Anthea quizzically

She laughs at that, quiet but full, and reaches over to adjust her arms until they go through the proper holes. Then she shifts to put a leg of the breeches over each foot and pushes them up her legs. "Like that."

She shifts uncomfortably and makes a face, "Why do you wear such...things?" She asks, squirming.

She smirks a little. "Hell, if I know. But everyone gets angry if you don't. I promise they're better when they fit right and aren't full of sand."

"I will have to take your word on that." She smiles. "Shall we go again? "

She nods, crouching in front of the woman. "Come on, on my back, let's get going."

She reaches to wrap her arms around the half-elf’s neck. This at least was not a new position to her. Children did this to the elders all the time. "Are you really going to do this the whole way?"

Anthea stands slowly, testing the weight, but the woman was slim enough. She stoops carefully to pick up her pack as well, slinging it around her neck and starting to walk. "I suppose we'll see, won't we?"

She laughs and rests her head on her arm, closing her eyes. "This feels more natural. I'm not too heavy, am I?"

"Nah, like I said, I've done worse," she says, heading at a slow but steady pace for the firmer ground of the forest that banks the beach. "And it isn't too far."

"Alright...well, I am grateful." She opens her eyes and looks around. "What are those?" She points to the trees.

"They're called trees," Anthea says, as they reach the cooler shadows of the forest. She starts skirting the edge, looking for the path. "Big plants."

"They look like the bottoms of the kelp forests." She looks up in awe

"I suppose it might," she agrees, turning down a deer trail. "It's called a forest as well, this whole thing.”

"Huh,” is all she says and keeps looking around. She is amazed by all the new things she is seeing.

The trees rustle around them with the wind and movement of small animals, but Anthea walks on unphased, following the twisting path with familiar ease.

Yawning, Serena says quietly, "May I sleep?"

"Go ahead," she says with a small nod. "I'll wake you when we arrive."

She rests her head down and listens to the strange sounds of birds and leaves rustling in the wind. When she had woken up that morning, she would never have thought that this was where she would be now. 

Anthea walks along slowly for the next hour or so, occasionally stopping to take breaks, setting the half-asleep woman down for a few minutes to catch her breath before hoisting her up and carrying on again. The moon is setting by the time they reach the edge of the forest by the outskirts of the local town, and she sets Serena down to wake her.

Opening her eyes, Serena sees the dark-haired woman. She smiles and stretches her arms. Not used to the new weight, she rolls sideways with a small musical squeak of shock. Then lets out a laugh. "I must look as if I'm a newborn sea cow."

Anthea laughs quietly. "A bit, I imagine. Listen, we're going to be moving out of the forest now," she says, nodding toward the clearer land over her shoulder. "Let's see if you can walk again."

Nodding, she stands and takes a step with a gasp, but stays standing and move forward for another one. "Not the most graceful but it will have to do."

She reaches out a hand to steady the other woman as she takes a few steps, then nods. "We'll take it slowly. It isn't far from here, we aren't in the town proper."

"Is your dwelling small? How do you give out your workloads?" She pipes up conversation as they walk. Pointing out things here and there. Asking about everything like a young child would.

Anthea explains things absently as they walk, concentration on the road around them. Eventually they reach an intersection and she turns right, down a smaller dirt road. A few minutes later she stops outside a small cabin, which is isolated and looks small and old. "Here we are," she says quietly, walking over to the door and pulling out a key on a cord around her neck, unlocking it.

"What is that?" She asks, pointing at the key in what was at least the twentieth question in the last minute or so.

Anthea sighs, but passed it over. "A key. The door doesn't open unless I have it," she explains, pushing the door open and walking inside, motioning for Serena to follow.

"But why do you close it to begin with? And this is a door? It looks like a tree with no leaves.” She steps in and touches the door as she does so.

"It's made from a tree. It keeps enemies out," she says, turning to close and lock the door behind them and moving through the simple, two-room cottage. Everything is very modest, but impersonal. She doesn't stop, just walks into the back room and lifts the foot of a bed. It is hinged, and swings up, revealing a trap door beneath, with stairs descending. She motions Serena to proceed her.

She hesitates as she watches and follows Anthea. "What is...?" She starts

"This house is a decoy. Just to keep people from snooping. We live below. Down you go."

She huffs a breath and listens. Moving slowly to the hole in the ground. Then she stops, considering the stairs. "How does one... go down?"

She sighs. "Sit down and scoot. We'll discuss how to properly do it when I can show you."

She sits in the most ridiculous manner, and after some long dragging scoots is at the bottom step. Looking up through the darkness at Anthea.

Anthea follows down behind her, lowering the bed after she is clear. The world goes black, but a moment later she unshutters a lantern with a light spell in it, and the stairway is illuminated.

Serena's eyes go wide, but she keeps her mouth shut, standing up she reaches out to touch the light in the woman's hand.

"Thank our mage Kerrick for that. He does most of our work." She smiles a little at the awe Serena's face.

"A landling that can produce a sun? I would very much like to meet him! May I hold it?" Her eyes haven't left the light.

"Sure. Here," she said, passing it over by the handle. "You'll meet him shortly. Your people don't have magic users?"

"We do, but nothing like this. We don't need light like this. Ours is...dimmer. Like..." she pauses and turns to the small net bag that has been her only item. She reaches in and pulls out a palm sized rock that is glowing shimmering blue in the dark.

She reaches out to touch the rock, studying it curiously. "Beautiful, but... fairly useless." Something occurs to her, and she glances at Serena . "We'll need to be careful to keep you out of the sun for a bit."

A shiver runs down her back. " I hadn't thought of that. "

She nods a little. "I don't want you damaging your eyesight," she said quietly, heading down an earthen hall with mining support structures.

"Perhaps there is some kind of spell your mage can perform? " She asks as she follows running a hand along the wall, feeling the texture.

"Perhaps. I'll speak with him," she says with a nod. They reach another door, and Anthea performs a complex knock on the wood.

"How do you wish to proceed?" Serena asks, looking around. "Do you want to introduce me...or...?"

"I'll introduce you, yes," she said, nodding. "They'll be a bit... cautious, at first. Don't take offense." Footsteps approached from the other side of the door.

"That's fine. I understand. " She smiles

The door is opened by a tall, dark skinned woman holding a trident, eyes dark and cautious until they light on Anthea. "You were gone too long."

"I had to stop by the bakery," Anthea returns quietly. The woman breaks out into a smile, relaxing and stepping back. "Excellent. Come in, who's the friend?" "Meet Serena . Our new prospect. Serena , Kylea."

Serena smiles softly to the tall landling woman. "Well met, Kylea."

"Kylea is our hitter," Anthea explains as they enter. "In charge of inflicting damage when expertise is needed." The room beyond is rough-hewn out of stone and earth, but warmly lit by more magic lanterns and an odd, purple smokeless fire in a hearth on the far end of the room. There are tunnels leading off in different directions. Sitting by the fire are a gnome and a kobold, playing a game of dice. They look up as the pair enter.

Serena walks in past Kylea slowly, with a mild limp, then moves to the strangely colored fire and sits next to it on the floor, all her attention drawn to the warmth. Her hand reaches out to touch it. 

Anthea catches her hand at the last moment, pulling it back firmly. "Do not touch," she warns, a hint of an edge to her voice. "It will hurt you."

She makes a face and whispers, "Sorry, Anthea," and sits back from the fire. The kobold and gnome both watch, confused. 

"You wanted to meet our mage. This is Kerrick," Anthea says more gently, releasing Serena's hand and indicating the gnome, who nods. "And this is Lyla, our thief."

She smiles at them pleasantly, then turns to the gnome. "You are the one who makes the small lantern sun?" she asks, and points to the lights around the room. 

Kerrick chuckles. "Yes. See?" He flicked his hand open and a small, bright orb appears above it.

She reaches out to touch it but pauses. “May I?” She looks to Kerrick, having learned. Anthea laughs, and Kerrick nods. "Here. You can hold it."

She holds out her hand and takes it. There is a small bit of warmth but nothing too hot. With the other hand she pulls out the stone to show Kerrick. "This is our source of light. Would you like to see it?" she asks as her attention was fully on the tiny light. Her eyes started to water from the brightness of it.

Kerrick takes it with interest, turning the little stone over. Anthea is watching Serena carefully, and sees her eyes going a bit glassy. "Cut the spell, Kerrick," she says after a moment. 

Kerrick glances up. "Hm?" 

"Cut it," Lyla agrees, eyes also on Serena. 

Kerrick whispers something and the light disappears.

The tears fell from Serena's eyes as she blinks. "Oh!" she said under her breath, and lifts a finger up to her damp cheek. Then she looks back up to Kerrick. "Thank you for that. It was wonderful." She turns to Lyla. "Well met to you, as well."

Lyla looks Serena over skeptically, then raises an eyebrow at Anthea without a word, waiting. 

"She's... her eyes are light sensitive. We'll discuss everything later,” Anthea hedges. She is saved further explanation as a loud voice comes from the hall. 

"Wha' are we discussing?" A tall elf walks in from one of the hallways, eating a hunk of bread, mouth full. Anthea smiles. "This is Nehemi, our healer."

"I suppose we will be discussing why Anthea has brought home a stray,” says Lyla, a forced flatness to her tone. 

"A very hot stray, with a giddy quantity of special perks," the half-elf retorts.

The kobold’s brow ridge goes up, annoyance clear. "Only you, Anthea."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Serena asks looking between the two. 

"It means that I'm excited by what you can do, and I think you'll be able to help us," Anthea says, glancing at her with a broad smile. "Can you show them? Does it work on land?"

"I can try. But…” She hesitates and looks around. 

Anthea reaches out to put a hand on her shoulder. "Just a moment. Just so they understand."

She whispers, "I don’t know what effect it will have one the surrounding area. In the water, it does what you saw. But down here..."

"Ah... quite right," she agrees softly, squeezing the woman's shoulder. "We'll try it outside later. For now, they will have to be good fellows and trust me," she says, shooting a look at the surrounding bunch. Lyla rolls her eyes, but Nehemi grins. "You got it, boss. What's the lady's name?"

"My name is Serena." She smiles at Nehemi. “You are a healer?"

"That I am," he says, taking another bite of bread. Then his face crinkles. "Are 'ou in'ured?"

"Anthea? Did you bring home a broken stray?” Lyla snarks as both her and Kerrick turn to continue their game. 

Anthea squeezes Serena's shoulder again, and then drops her hand. "Don't worry about them. They'll warm up. Are you hungry?"

She nods a yes. "What is that he is eating, and can I try it?" She asks, looking to Nehemi’s bread, which earns her strange looks from everyone in the room except Anthea, who just smiles.

"It's bread. And yes. Come on, kitchen this way, we'll find out what you like.”


	3. What is this? -the learning curve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _We already have the first book of the series completed, so we hope to update fairly regularly. If the chapters continue to be about this length, we're looking at about a hundred chapters in book one, so hopefully updates will be pretty regular for a while! Thanks for reading, all, and as always, comments make us treat the characters [better/worse/more like whatever you're hoping for]. Definitely. Always. The authors would like to inform you that the tense of this work shifts back and forth a bit in the first few chapters as they get used to their own writing styles. If you have an issue with this, the authors would like to suggest that you suck it and deal._   
_The Children of the Gods_

She had been sitting for so long that it takes her a few tries to get her legs back under her. She tries to hide the winces as she stands. 

Anthea slides an arm around her waist to give her support, and Nehemi gives her thumbs up until she glares at him and he returns to his bread. "This way. Come on."

Lyla’s voice follows them as they walk away. "Wonder how long it will take till she’s in Anthea's bed." 

There’s a “Hey!” and a _ smack _ as Kerrick hits her arm in response, and laughter. 

Serena looks over her shoulder. “What are they talking about?”

"Never mind, they're just being assholes," Anthea assures her as she leads them down the hall. They turn the corner into a mid-sized room stocked with chests and shelves, all surrounding a large wooden table. She pulled a chair out for Serena and helps her sit. "I'll get you a sampler of food and you can see what you like."

"Alright… I am grateful for all this. I don't think that this was what you had planned on doing when you went to the water.” She takes a steadying breath, looking around the room. 

“I understand I know nothing about this world and you are being more than kind in helping me. I am not like some youngling in my waters, needing to be watched. I am a..." She catches herself, and then says instead: "But here I feel as such. Like a sea calf who knows nothing. It is...unnerving, to put it lightly." 

Anthea approaches the shelves, kicking over a crate to stand on and rustling around for food. "Tell me about it. About where you're from."

Serena frowns. “My pod? It’s… well.. What would you like to know?" 

She starts pulling various kinds of preserved meats out of bags, before turning to cheeses. "What are your people like? What do you eat? What do you value?"

"My people are... organized. Efficient. At least for the most part. Everyone has a life task. Some gather, some hunt, others-” She stops herself from saying something then continues, “Some are healers, searchers, or crafters. There are Elders as well. Wave riders and defenders..." She trails off before venturing, "Some...very few...are Callers…”

Anthea catches the slip, but doesn't comment for now. People were always more useful when they were comfortable in the belief that she didn't notice half of what they said. For now she just glances over at Serena, giving her a small smile and a nod of encouragement. The siren continues:

"We eat fish and other creatures, whatever the hunters get, really. As for what we value... the young, first and foremost. We do not have many-" she hesitated again before continuing, "and even fewer survive the early years. The water is a dangerous place. We trade in goods and skills; we stay alive together. The elder families are elders because of what we- what they do for the rest of the pod. The most skilled, or those who have done a service for the rest. "

Anthea looks up again from where she is digging through dried goods. "It sounds fascinating... How many of your people are there?" She has added an assortment of fruits and nuts, bread, mushrooms, and sweets to the makeshift sampler board, and walks over to set it in front of the siren. "Here. See what you think."

Her eyes light up with excitement as she reaches for the bread first, ripping into it with sharp teeth and chewing slowly. "Hmm… Like a sponge but better..." she says, swallowing and reaching for a fruit. "What is this called? As for the pod- there are about-” she picks a number- “Thirty-six in our pod.” She didn’t know the true number, nor would she be allowed to tell a landling if she did.

"That's a peach. And thirty-six, that's so few..." She shakes her head a little and sits at the table across from Serena. "Have there always been so few of you?"

She takes the peach and sniffs it, "Oh urchins, no! In older times, there were...hundreds and hundreds, the seas were full, and landlings knew of us. But something happened, and we started to dwindle. The Coral Keeps stand empty of us now. It’s haunting..." 

She bites slowing into the peach with her pointed teeth, and makes a face as the juice runs down her lips and chin, before she spits it out in shock. "It tingles on my tongue! It’s..." she taps her tongue against her teeth lightly as she searches for the right word. "It’s...I have no words for this flavor. What would you call this?"

"Sweet," Anthea says, her expression one of demure amusement. "I'll eat it if you don't like it."

"Are all peaches...Sweet?" she asks and hands it over to Anthea. She picks up a chunk of preserved meat, sniffs it and takes a bit without asking what it was. A pleased expression melts across her face, and with her mouth still full she asks. "Uut ess hiss?" 

"Cured beef," Anthea says, leaning back and chuckling. "And yes. Peaches are sweet, mostly, if they're ripe."

She swallows and grins, "I like beef. A lot. What’s next you think?" As she looks to the rest of the selection. 

"Well, if you don't like sweet, avoid most of this," she said, shifting the fruit out of the way. "You might like cheese, try this." She pushed a small round of sharp cheddar forward.

Picking it up, she does the same thing as she had with the rest and puts it to her nose. After a sharp inhale, she takes a hesitant bite and her eyes close for a moment as she chews. A calm, happy look crosses her face and she smiles. When she is done chewing she opens her eyes and says, "I like cheese. Very much. There are so many sparks of flavor in it and... again, I have no words." 

"Well, there are all sorts of different cheeses, and meats and bread, too. Eat your fill. Are you thirsty?" Anthea pushes her chair back, wood scraping on dirt. 

"Thirsty?" she asks as she sweeps her hair to one side and out of the way, then begins to pick through the remaining things. She pops a mushroom in her mouth then spits it out. "Ucck! It is like chewing a whale but...tastes like sand. This is not good. "

"Ah, right, drinking...." Anthea mutters quietly, turning the situation over before standing and walking over to grab two tankards. She fills them with water from a cask and brings them over, setting one in front of Serena. "Landlings need water, too. Just less of it. So, we sort of... eat a bit of it each day. You'll need to, too, I think."

Serena examines the cup, lifting it to eye level. 

"So, I just eat this water?" She sounds confused but places the cup to her mouth and lets some of the water flow in, then closes her lips and swallows. "It tastes… Empty… but my throat does not hurt as much anymore. Perhaps I was thirsty."

Anthea nods. "Probably. You'll need to drink a few cups a day, or you'll get sick. We'll try more... fun drinks another time.” She grins at the idea.

"Fun drinks?" She looks quizzically at the woman. "What are fun drinks?" 

"They alter our way of thought for a brief time. Make you more relaxed, or happy, or brave, or, sometimes, stupid." She picked up the peach Serena had rejected and bit into it. "But that's not for tonight, I don't think."

"Yes, that seems wise." She watches as Anthea eats and takes another chunk of meat for herself. "When should I show your pod my...Skill?" 

"Whenever you're ready," she says, swallowing a bite of peach and reaching up to wipe juice away from her chin. "Tomorrow night, perhaps? Outside?"

She looked around. "Is it daylight out? And where am I to stay?" 

"Tonight, by now, really, I suppose," she muttered to herself, then looked up at Serena's question. "Dawn will be coming. You'll have a room. Come, I'll show you, if you've had enough to eat."

Grabbing a hunk of cheese, she stands, catches herself and sits, then stands stronger the second time. A little smile crosses her lips in success. "Alright, lead the way."

Anthea nods, watching her carefully, and smiling slightly at the victory. "Take your time. You're going to be sore tomorrow, I'd wager." She heads into the hall.

"I’m sore now, how much worse could it be tomorrow?" she asks, following behind as she eats the cheese. "Besides, didn’t you say you would have the healer look at my legs?"

She nods. "Tomorrow we will. For now, rest. Food, drink, and sleep do wonders." She pushed open the door to a small but comfortable earthen room. A wooden bed was in the corner, with a soft feather mattress and down blankets. There was a desk with a chair, a chest, and a few lanterns to make the place cozy. "Here, all yours."

Looking around, Serena stopped in the doorway, not knowing what to ask first. Her eyes trail over the bed and all the wood. She steps forward and runs her hand along the desk. "What is this for? And that?" She points to the chest.

"That's a desk," Anthea explains, leaning against the doorframe, and settling in for another round of questions. "For doing work on. And the second one is a chest. It opens. You can store things inside of it."

Walking slowly to the bed, she sits down and then falls back. "This is wonderful, soft like a jelly. But...textured."

"Like a jelly?" she asked curiously, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh, a small creature, like a bowl upside down, has long tendrils. Shocks when you touch them. But the bowl is soft and doesn't sting. "

"Right, yes, sorry, I know what a jelly is," Anthea said, waving her hand to ward off the explanation and chuckling. "You just made it sound for a moment like you sleep on them."

She let out a musical laugh "No! Goodness no! We have nets, woven from seagrass and other things. "

"Oh. Alright.” She rubs at her face, still smiling. "That makes more sense. I should leave you to sleep. Do you need anything?"

"I don't think so." She closes her eyes. "I am grateful for you introducing me to all this...new.”

"Of course," she says with a nod, reaching up to shutter one of the lanterns, leaving the room in cool dimness. "Sleep well. Find me when you wake." She steps out and closes the door behind her. Outside the room, Lyla is leaning against the wall, waiting for Anthea and playing with a small figurine. Anthea looks over at the kobold as she shuts the door. "Yes?"

"I found something out that you’ll want to know. Also, here." She pulls out a rolled parchment and hands it over. "The layout you asked for." She pushes off the wall. "He’s having a gala. In a few days. Do with it what you will."

She opens the parchment, glancing over it and nodding. "I can talk my way in, I think. But depending on how this test of her skills goes tomorrow, plans may have changed. She's a thrall, in the simplest sense, but much more powerful. This is what we've been waiting for."

Lyla froze, shocked. "That little thing is a thrall? You’re joking... I mean, she’s stunning, in a way, but...a thrall? Really?"

"Not exactly the same, but yes," she says, eyes glinting with dark excitement. "She got _ me _ for a moment, Lyla. The fucking grifter. You'll see tomorrow. At least I hope you will- there's the possibility she needs to be in the ocean for it to work. I’m not sure yet."

"She got...you...Well. That is something, then." She says under her breath. Then she walks away down the hall.

She watches her go, then takes a slow breath, pushing her hair out of her face and relaxing for the first time in a few hours. She hadn't been expecting to grift tonight. But gods, was the payoff wonderful. She turns and heads for her room.

________________________________________________________________________

Serena was tired, but she was more interested in investigating. She sat up, unable to sleep with her mind racing about everything that she had seen this past night. This room was just the start. It is dark. She could still see just fine, but it’s was bit unnerving. Standing slowly, she decided that the first thing to do is to get some much-needed practice on these new legs of hers. She had felt ridiculous, scooting around, needing help to do anything. That would change. She did a few bends and stretched out the knees and hips, until they scream in pain and she was forced to stop.

“Maybe that wasn't the best idea..." She murmured aloud to herself. Standing again, more slowly this time, she moved to the door, opens it and peaked out. Leaving it open a crack, she turned to look at the desk and pulled out the small drawers, then moved to the chest, humming a flowing song all the while.

A few minutes later there's a quiet knock on the door. Nehemi locks his hands behind his back, waiting.

Serena stopped, frozen for a moment, waiting for something else to happen. When nothing does, she walked over to the door where the knocking sound had come from and see the healer standing there. She smiled.

"Hello," Nehemi says, waving a bit. "I just wanted to check in. Saw you limping."

"Hello. That is thoughtful." She stepped back and opens the door, then half walks, half limps her way to the bed and sits.

He watches her carefully, following behind her. "What is hurting you?

She looks down to her legs, then back to him. "Ah....all of it." She ran her hand down from her hip to her toes on one leg.

He frowns, crouching in front of her. "For how long?"

Without thinking she says, "Most of the tide at this point,” then realized he will have no idea what she meant, and blushes.

He tilts his head, smiling a little. "Alright.... any idea what caused it?"

Cautiously she says, "Lack of use..."

He tilts his head a little further, studying her curiously, but just nods and doesn't press. "I can heal your muscle tissue and see if that helps. If it doesn't, I'll get you some cool compresses and that should ease the pain. Alright?"

"Sounds perfect. How do you need me to be?" She asks, looking him over

"Just like that is fine," he says, reaching out to place a gentle hand on her head. "Take even breaths." He closes his eyes, starting to whisper quietly, and a warm orange glow begins to spread across her body.

Sitting very still, she felt the warmth flow down her body. "That feels very strange."

He nods distractedly, still whispering quietly to himself. A few moments later he opens his eyes and falls silent, removing his hands. His eyes glow faintly orange for a moment, then fade. "Any better?"

Her muscles are relaxed and don’t ache anymore. "Yes. They feel less tight... I must apologize, I do not remember your name. "

"Nehemi," he says with a small smile. "Don't worry. It's a mouthful. You're... Sabina?" he crinkles his eyebrows slightly.

She laughs lightly, "Serena. Close though. "

"Serena ," he says with a nod, repeating it to himself a few times. "Alright. Well, if you're feeling better, I'll leave you be."

"You don’t have to!" she says quickly and shifts so there is room for him on the bed.

He raises an eyebrow, but sits down next to her. "So…” he begins after a moment. “How did you and Anthea meet?"

"We...uh...at the shore. we met earlier at the shore." She answers, trying not to fidget but finds herself not knowing what to say to this... Male? She’s not sure. The shape is male, at least to her race. But this one was more soft around the edges and had a pretty face. It didn’t really matter, either way. She was still talking to her second landling in one night. It was thrilling. She tucks her hair behind an ear and begins braiding it. It touched the floor as she sat, which is when she notices just how much shorter she really was.

Realizing that she has been quiet for a touch too long, she adds, " I saw her on the sand, from my rock." 

"From your rock?" he asks, watching her braid her hair, curious. "Where is your rock?"

"It’s on the shore, just out a bit. A place I like to go..." She trails off, then tacks on the end: "It’s not really _ my _ rock…”

He nods just a little. "Well... welcome. Anthea picked all of us up at one point or another."

Stifling a yawn, she nods. "Maybe I should sleep now."

He stands. "Of course. See you tomorrow." He walks out the door, closing it behind him. 

_________________________________________________________________________

Anthea wakes later that morning when her alarm nail falls out of the hour candle, clattering on tin, and gets dressed quickly. She walks out into the halls, nodding to Lyla (who was standing the watch) and heading to the kitchen to find some sort of breakfast.

Nehemi and Kylea are there already, working on their various breakfasts. She grabs some cheese and a hunk of rye bread from a shelf and walks over to sit at the table, kicking her feet up on a nearby chest. "Morning."

There’s some grunting and affirmatives, but nothing really conversational until Lyla walks in and grabbed an apple and a slice of bread. “She’s been making noise off and on for the last few hours. It’s gone quiet, but I have no idea what she was doing. Never left the room. " 

"I'll check in on her," Anthea mutters with a sigh, standing up and walking over to the shelves to grab some smoked ham and bread before trudging down the hall and knocking on Serena's door with her foot. From inside she hears a squeak and a loud thump, then a bang of something falling to the ground. 

She raises an eyebrow slowly. "Serena ... are you well?" she calls through the door.

"Yes! I… umm… Fish tails! ...Help! " She sounds slightly distressed through the door. The thump had also gotten the attention of Kerrick, who had been walking down the hall. Anthea frowns, shifting the food to one hand and opening the door quickly.

Serena is on the floor with the blankets wrapped around her. Flailing, trying to get out with little result.

Anthea pauses a moment, and then starts laughing, walking over to put the food on the desk before stooping to gently start disentangling Serena.

"This is the most useless thing I have ever come across. One minute you are laying calmly and the next. _ THIS _! Augh!" She gripes, a bit muffled by a wrap of blanket over her head. 

Anthea, still laughing, manages to get the blanket cleared. "It's for warmth," she chuckles. "I suppose it takes some getting used to. But on the upside, flailing around in bed linens is a good look for you." She winks.

She laughs and sits up, glad to finally be free of the fabric. "I am grateful. " She eyes the food on the desk. “Is that for me?" 

"Yeah, figured you might be hungry," she says, tossing the blanket onto the bed.

Throwing the blanket a dirty look, she stands up and stretches. "That was thoughtful." her muscles hurting less. 

She smiles just a touch. "We look out for each other. How'd you sleep? First night on land."

Serena sighs. "I didn't, not really." She walks over to pick up the bread, taking a large bite before sitting back down. 

She raises an eyebrow. "I imagine it’s difficult, being out here for the first time. You're doing well." She reaches out to push a little of Serena's hair out of her face. "If there's anything I can do to help, don't hesitate to ask."

She nods, swallowing and trying the ham. "Actually, I'm feeling a little dry. And my hair keeps doing this crazy poofy thing." She looked up at the other woman’s hair- sleek and soft- and then back to hers.

"You can try a bath, might help," Anthea suggests. "Come on. I'll show you, and we'll find you some clean clothes."

She nods and stands to follow. "How... how was your rest?" She asks quietly. 

"Alright. Not much to say about it. Slept, woke up, here we are," she says, heading down the hall. She glances at Serena, eyeing the sway of her hips. "You seem to be walking better."

Serena looks down as well. "Your healer came to see me. He? Is very good."

She nodded. "Nehemi. He's skilled, with and without magic." She pushes a door open, revealing some stairs down, and smirks. "This is one of my favorite parts about living here, down here. But let's work on stairs first. Stand behind me, put your hands on my shoulders for balance, and copy my movements."

Placing her hand on Anthea's shoulder as directed, the began their decent. 


	4. Warm Baths and Dragon Taming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _We already have the first book of the series completed, so we hope to update fairly regularly. If the chapters continue to be about this length, we're looking at about a hundred chapters in book one, so hopefully updates will be pretty regular for a while! Thanks for reading, all, and as always, comments make us treat the characters [better/worse/more like whatever you're hoping for]. Definitely. Always. The authors would like to inform you that the tense of this work shifts back and forth a bit in the first few chapters as they get used to their own writing styles. If you have an issue with this, the authors would like to suggest that you suck it and deal._   
_The Children of the Gods_

Anthea glanced back when she felt Serena let go, watching carefully in case she stumbled, but she seemed to be doing well.  They reached the bottom of the stairs, and walked down another tunnel, the air slowly becoming warmer.

"It's warm here. That is strange - does it happen normally?"

"Yes. You'll see," she said, bringing them around the corner and revealing a hot spring pool bubbling up among water-smoothed rocks.

This new room took her by surprise, "Why is there mist coming off the water? why is it bubbling like a playful dolphin?"

"It's hot," she explained. "Perfect for bathing. You'll just need to be a little slow going into it, okay?"

holding her hand out to the steam she grinned in surprise, "Oh. Like the sea vents." She said and stepped down to the water edge where she began taking off the coverings , not wanting to ruin them.

Anthea stripped down as well, unabashed, walking into the water with familiarity and sitting down into it with a pleased sigh.

She steps in and sits next to Anthea. "This is pleasant."

Anthea nods, leaning back with a content sigh. A long, thin scar, red from the heat, runs from her left shoulder, across her collarbone and chest, and disappears under her right armpit. "I love it down here."

"This is making me tingle. It's is very calming." Serena leans her head back.

She laughs a little. "Tingle, huh? We should do this often."

Sleepy the siren says, "Hmmm...oh, yes..." and closes her eyes.

Anthea glances over at her, and smiles just a little, admiring the run of the woman's sleek arm along the stone, the flush of her skin from the water. "Don't fall asleep in here," she said, reaching out to rub her hand along said arm gently. "I can't carry you back up. Though the idea is appealing."

"Huh? Just a little bit... please? I'm so tired." her voice held the exhaustion of a days learning and a poor nights sleep. 

Anthea chuckles, but then sighs and nods. "Alright. I'll keep an eye on you. Who knows if you can drown like this or not.”

She grins and leans her head back. her body becoming buoyant in the warm water. Finally able to relax and get some sleep as her body floats.

Anthea watches her quietly, relaxing as well, enjoying the hot water and admiring the other woman. There was so much to learn, so much potential here...

After a little bit Serena slips under. Body relaxed and calm.

"Shit," Anthea muttered, reaching out quickly and pulling the woman up until her head is back above water, propping her up on her shoulder to keep it there. "Hey, no drowning, remember?"

Serena asks with a jolt and wakes, "Wha..what are you talking about?" She blinks, her eyes red from the warm water and looks around.

"You went under the water," she said, still holding her. "Can you still breathe down there?"

"I think so..." She yawns and rubs her eyes.

"Alright, well... check before you fall back to sleep," Anthea suggested dryly.

She nods and sinks back down. Opening her eyes. From under the water her gills start working. And she smiles.

Anthea relaxes slightly, rolling her eyes, and leans back against the rock, waving in a dismissive motion and smirking.

Serena comes up: "I apologize if I scared you. It was the last thing I wished to do."

She shakes her head. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad you're okay."

"Tell me, how can I make it right?" She slides up next to Anthea, looking deeply at her. Truly worried that she had caused unneeded stress.

She raised an eyebrow at that, smiling just a little, eyes drifting over the worried face and dripping hair. "I can think of a few ways. But I don't think you'd be interested."

"No, please tell me. If it will help, I want to try. You have been so kind in taking care of me. In my pod, that is the whole point of our society. If I can reverse the harm I have done, even as small as it may seem. I wish to try."

She reached out, tucking a strand of hair behind the other woman's ear, fingers tracing the strange webbed shell of it for a moment. "I find you very attractive, do you know that? Not just physically, but the power you possess... it's enough to draw anyone in."

She blinked, "I...that is... That you find me attractive. I think you are also a very lovely landling. As for the skills I have, it's a gift of birth. How is it attractive?"

"Almost every skill is something we are born with," Anthea laughed. "You were also born with beautiful eyes, and gorgeous black hair, but those are also attractive.” She studies her for a moment, reaching out to brush Serena's cheek with her thumb. The she dropped her hand and sighed. "You know, maybe there is something you could do."

"Anything! Name it!" Serena says happily. The touching was foreign to her but she had begun to like the attention that landling gave to physical sensation. 

She nods. "In a few days the bastard of a lord I was telling you about is hosting a gala... He's hurt a lot of people, ruined a lot of lives. We want to give him a taste of his own cruelty. I think you can make this better than we could have dreamed. Will you help?"

"How would I be able to help with this Gala? I...I know nothing of the rules or the proper way to act. Let alone what anything is here." Serena looks hesitantly at the other woman.

"I'll do the talking, don't worry about that," she says with a smile. "I want you to use your gift."

the siren bites at her lip lightly, "Look, there is something about my... gift... It's not kind to those who hear it for long lengths of time... or myself for that matter." Serena takes Anthea's hand in hers with hesitation on the touch, "It makes me cold. Not temperature-wise, the other way. I'm not.. myself." she stopped, not wanting to give too much away. her aunts would punish her for it. "I just thought you should know."

She nods a little, watching the other woman intently, lacing their fingers together. "I can understand that. And I don't intend to ask you to do this often. But this... We've been working to destroy this man for years now. Now we may have an actual chance."

"Well...” She says slowly, “…yes. If it will help. For you." Serena let go and sat back. She didnt understand half of waht Anthea meant but, she owed the landing a debt and would help if it meant she could stay longer. "We should talk to your pod...yes? "

She nods a little, smiling. "Thank you, so much. And yes. You should show them what you can do, just for a moment, like you did with me."

"How much do you want to tell them? About me, that is..." Not knowing what the group will do about her calling, she was a touch nervous.

Anthea reached out to touch the woman's knee, smiling gently. "Relax. Whatever you like. They won't judge, they'll think you're as fascinating as I do. And if they have a problem they can take it up with me. I'm in charge here, not them."

Nodding, Serena smiles lightly at the hand, a pink blush crosses her cheeks at a thought and she asks, "Do all landlings... do they all enjoy, everyone?"

She raises an eyebrow, expression relaxed. "How do you mean?"

"Find everyone attractive equally. Are you not selective? And open with touching?” Serena asks truly curious. Eyes alight.

She laughs, sitting back a little. "Sorry. I didn't mean they would all be attracted to you. Nehemi is gay, for starters. But no, not everyone finds everyone equally attractive. I certainly don't. I have no interest in men. I can't speak for the rest, though Kerrick seems pretty straight."

"That is a relief." She breathes a sigh. "Not that I don't appreciate it. But my calling can make it a bit confusing at times.” 

"I just mean they'll admire your skills," she assures her, still chuckling. "My apologies."

"No need." Changing the topic she says, "could you help me with my hair?"

"Sure," she nods. "What do you need?"

"I'm not as long as I usually am. And it get..." She makes a big, frustrated gesture with her hands. "I don't know what to do with it. "

She chuckled. "Well, we could cut it if you like, or we can just wash it well and braid it again to keep it out of your way."

The look she gave at the mention of cutting it was stricken. "We don't do that." Is all she said.

She raised her hands in surrender. "No cutting. No problem. Braiding, then? And I have some oil that will help with the frizzing."

"Sounds wonderful." She lays back again, head resting on the edge not knowing what this ‘oil’ will do, but trusting her new found friend, the landling, Anthea. She smiled at that thought. 

"Alright. I'll grab it, back in a moment," she said, climbing out and walking into a small side room.

Serena watches as Anthea walks away, admiring the movement of the other woman's hips and legs. Trying to memorize how they move, to practice later.

Sliding back under the water she takes a few deep breaths and smiles. Maybe she would ask if she could sleep down here instead of that horrible bed. It was odd to not have a tail in the water however.

She returns a few minutes later, a glass bottle in hand, and slips back into the water. "Here," she said, holding it out. "Put this in your hair."

Looking at her from the bottom, she motions for Anthea to come down. Smile on her face, playfulness in her eyes.

She raises an eyebrow, but sets the bottle aside, taking a few deep breaths before ducking under, eyes squinting against the heat.

She feels a hand grab her arm and pull her down till her butt hits the bottom. Then hold her there firmly. It's then that Anthea can tell that Serena is dense and doesn't want to float up as her own body wants to.  When Anthea's chest starts to get tight, she feels lips on hers and Serena sucks the air from the woman's lungs. She breathes air, fresh and clean, back in.

Serena pulls her down, and she lets her, but when the other woman doesn't let go, she tenses. She watches Serena's expression sharply as she realizes she is firmly held beneath the water, and debates the quickest way to break her grip and head for the surface- Then Serena leans in and there are soft lips on hers.... She kisses back, but then suddenly she has lungs full of fresh air. She blinks, startled, studying Serena curiously, but relaxing slightly.

With her hair floating around, her gills are visibly working for the both of them. Serena leans in and puts her lips to Anthea's again and she again has a breath of clean air. Then, they are both floating back up to the surface slowly. A wide grin on the Sirens face. As they rise, Serena make a calming humming sound that reverberates in the water around them.

They return to the surface and Anthea takes a full breath of air, face red from the heat of the water. She stares at Serena, uncertain how to react to what just happened, before smiling slowly.

Reading the uncertainty on her face her small grin fades. "Should I have not done this? Please forgive. I didn't mean to frighten you. I just didn't know how long you could hold your air." She swam to the edge and climbed out, water dripping off her hair and body.

"No, no, don't apologize, not long. " she assures her. "I thrive on new experiences. That was brilliant!"  she admitted, climbing out and handing the bottle to the woman. "But next time you want to kiss me, you can just ask," she teased.

She turns and gives a confused look. "Next time I want to...kiss you?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Your people don't have kissing?" she asked curiously, before looking off into space. "Gods... no kissing... what would that even be like..."

"I don't understand. Is what I did called kissing on land?" Confusion still in her eyes, Serena pauses her movement.

"Sort of. I was teasing you, mostly. But yes, pressing one's lips to another persons like that is generally considered a rather intimate gesture, called kissing."

"Then I apologize and will not do so again unless asked."

She laughs. "No need to apologize, trust me. But I appreciate the sentiment."

That conversation finished, Serena opens the bottle and sniffs it, recoiling at the sent. "What is this?"

"Oil for your hair. It will help with the frizzing. Mine does it too, otherwise."

"Show me, please?" She moved over to the side of the pool and sat down, feet in the water.

She nods, reaching out to gently start wringing the water out of Serena's hair. When it was damp, she took the bottle, pouring some of the oil into her hands and starting to work it through the other woman's long locks.

"I am grateful for this. It feels pleasant to have someone touch my hair. It does not happen often." She closes her eyes and smiles.

She smiles, too, threading her fingers through the long strands, working tangles out as she worked oil in. "Glad to do it any time. You have beautiful hair."

"So, tell me about what you would like me to do." Serena's eyes close briefly at the pleasant feeling.

"At the gala?" she asks, starting from the top of the woman's head and beginning to braid.

She was about to nod but stops and says, "Yes." When she feels the woman's hands still in her hair. The soft tugging motion is soothing.

"I want you to enthrall the Lord," she explained as she worked. "Can you focus the effect on just one being?"

"I have never tried. At least not when there was more than one landling around. I could try. Or if your pod will allow it, I could practice in small doses."

She nods. "I'll speak with them, but as long as you do not injure them, I think they will agree."

"How does it look?" She asks, squirming a bit. Then something strikes her, "You said that coverings are usually required... do you have any for me to wear?"

"Hold still," she chuckles. "And mine seemed to fit you alright. We'll go to my room and you can take your pick."

Smiling, "Alright. But your lower cover...it was short..."

She smirked, finishing the braid and setting it down. "I know. We'll get you better clothes soon. But for now, they'll suffice."

"Wonderful! Shall we go see your pod?" She stands up slowly and winces a little.

She catches the wince, but doesn't say anything for the moment. "Clothes first, then pod," she agrees, walking over to pick up her piles of discarded clothes and heading for the stairs. "Come on, up is a bit different."

She follows but asks, "What?" not understanding what the woman meant. 

"Up the stairs. It's a little different," she said over her shoulder, waiting for Serena before heading slowly up the stairs.

"Ah, I understand now." And watches Anthea move again, trying to mimic the sway of hips and smoothness of legs. She picks up the movements well and comments as they reach the top, "Up is easier than down."

She glances at her as she heads down the hall. "Good, that means you're getting stronger." Lyla is walking the other direction and rolls her eyes at the naked women, but doesn't say anything. Anthea stops at another door and pushes into her room. The room is well lit by lanterns, and the walls are draped in crimson cloth to cover the dirt and stone. There are a couple of decorations but few personal effects. The bed is on the one side of the room, taking up considerable space, a pile of blankets and furs to make a sort of large, soft nest. Anthea set the old clothes aside, and headed for a cedar trunk, pushing it open. "Here. Take what you like."

After a moment of getting down to the floor, she looks through asking what some things are and setting a few things aside, finally settling on a couple of items. A deep blue that was almost black knee length skirt the flowed when she swirled, and a storm grey blouse that was just a touch too tight around the chest. But she loved the color. After putting them on she turned to Anthea, "is this good?"

Anthea eyed her up and down, smiling toothily. "More than good. You look gorgeous."

She grinned back. "Who knew that coverings could make me feel nice? I think I like this part of being with landlings."

She laughed. "It has its benefits and its downsides. Choose a couple other things for now, and we'll get you proper clothes later this week."

She grabbed a few other things. Mostly flowy and loose in all the right spots. And all colors of the ocean.

Anthea nods her approval, and offers Serena a hand up. "Good. That should hold you over."

"This is really kind of you." Serena looks down at the strange fabric and finds that she really likes to run her hands over the bit covering her breasts.

She shrugs, smiling softly. "You're one of us now. I take care of my own."

"One of yours...?" She says under her breath with smile. Then, shakes her head to clear it and drops her hand.

"What was that?" she asked, glancing her way with a small smile.

"Your pod, we should..uh...go see them?" She walks to the door of the room and opens it.

She laughs, but nods. "Go ahead, I'm going to get dressed, I'll be there in a minute."

Serena walks out and closes the door. Then wanders down the hall running her hand along it feeling the different textures and looking for anyone.

Most of the gang is in the common room, chatting quietly. They look up as Serena enters, and Kylea smiles at the clothes. "You pull those off better than Anthea. But don't tell her I said that."

"Ah...alright." she walks slowly to a seat, not sure what to do with herself.

Kerrick looks over, and smiles a bit. "Here," he said, waving his hand a moment and then offering a red ball of light. "This one won't hurt your eyes."

Quizzically, she asks, "What is this one for? If not light?" And takes it from him

He shrugged a little, looking sheepish. "It will give a little light, like your stone. But you seemed to enjoy the other one I made so I thought, perhaps one which didn't hurt your eyes..." Lyla laughed as she walked back in. "He's trying to make friends, Serena."

"Ah.. well, my stone gives off more than this one. But it is nice to look at. Not like the small sun." She tosses it lightly in her hand a few times.

He nods, returning quickly to the book in his lap. Lyla walks over to lean on the back of Serena's chair. "So did she pick you up in a bar?"

For her lack of knowing what was just said to her, Serena gave a confused look and said, "Uh... no... she did not..."

"We met at a circus," came Anthea's sarcastic voice from the hall. "I was juggling, she was taming dragons. I decided I had to have her." She walked into the room, wearing a long crimson tunic and dark stockings. "Any other questions?" 

Lyla smirked. "You would be handling balls." Anthea smacked the top of her head as she walked past, heading to sit by the fire.  "Stop harassing the newbie."

"Landlings are so strange." She says under her breath, and hands the red light back to the small male with odd coloring. Looking around at how comfortable everyone was with each other. It was... strange but nice. She only had this with a few of her aunts. 

Anthea glances over at Serena, and grins a bit. "Don't mind Lyla. She's an ass."

Serena takes a deep breath and smiles saying to Lyla, "No, Anthea and I met near my home by the shore."

Accurate enough, Anthea thinks, chuckling. "I like the circus story better," Lyla says with a grin.

"Well then, that's what it will be." She plays along with Lyla hoping she won't realize that Serena has no idea what a circus was.

"Excellent," Lyla says, flopping down by the fire and chucking a pillow at Anthea's head. "So, mastermind. When do we get to see what sort of tricks your dragon-tamer can do?"

Serena looks to Anthea for an answer but when one doesn't come right away she chimes in, "Now!" Then a little quieter, "if that's ok..."

Lyla grins over at her. "Perfect." Anthea nods, standing. 

"Good a time as any. Kerrick, can you make some sort of shield for her eyes, or should I go find some cheesecloth?"

"I will be fine. I'm going to have to learn to stand the light at some point." Serena says. 

Nehemi pipes in, "Grab some cloth, for just in case."

Anthea nodded, heading for the store rooms and returning a few minutes later with some strips of fairly translucent fabric. "Right. Outside, come on."


	5. Singing Lessons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _We already have the first book of the series completed, so we hope to update fairly regularly. If the chapters continue to be about this length, we're looking at about a hundred chapters in book one, so hopefully updates will be pretty regular for a while! Thanks for reading, all, and as always, comments make us treat the characters [better/worse/more like whatever you're hoping for]. Definitely. Always. The authors would like to inform you that the tense of this work shifts back and forth a bit in the first few chapters as they get used to their own writing styles. If you have an issue with this, the authors would like to suggest that you suck it and deal._  
_  
_The Children of the Gods_  
_

Everyone gets up and moves towards the trapdoor. Serena bringing up the rear.

Kylea leads them out, picking up her trident by the door and holding it carefully as they exited. The sunlight spikes through brightly from the cabin windows as she pushes the trap door up, and everyone squints a little as their eyes adjust. Anthea glances at Serena.

She hesitates, still in the dark, a look of uncertainty in her eyes. Then, she takes a deep breath and takes a step into the light. Her eyes are a striking blue, as the sun hits them she blinks a few times and they water.

Anthea keeps careful eyes on her, then makes a decision and steps forward, pressing a few layers of cloth over her eyes, not enough to cut it completely, but enough to cut the glare. "One step at a time," she says gently but firmly, voice brokering no argument.

The woman nods, "Every thing is blurry. Can you help me up the stairs?" She takes Anthea's arm.

Anthea nods, tying the cloth behind her head, then puts a hand on hers. "Step now... and now..."

They make it to the top and Serena lets go for a moment. "This seems a bit much don't you think? "

She raises an eyebrow. "Would you rather feeling a bit stumbly today, or dealing with eye damage?"

With a slight pout, she whispers to Anthea, "I want to see the land."

She sighs. "Patience, gills. I'll take off layers a little at a time." 

"Yeah, ya will," Lyla muttered. Kerrick made a choked cough that sounded suspiciously like laughter.

Kylea cleared her throat, "Did you just call her gills?" And Serena's smile faded.

"Check your hearing, round-ears," Anthea shot back playfully, no concern in her gaze. "Serena, do you need to be able to see to do this?" They headed out of the cottage and into the surrounding fields.

"My ears are just fine. I know what I heard." Kylea says but keeps walking. 

"No, I don't need to see." Serena answers and holds on. "Just put me somewhere and let me know when. Though, you should tell them something..."

"Come on, sturdy rock over here," Anthea said, leading her over. "Sit. They'll know, soon enough."

She sits and sighs at the same time. "One layer? Please?" She asks.

Anthea sighs but nods, reaching up and pulling one of the layers away carefully. "There..."

Lyla yells from where the group stopped, "Any day now!"

Anthea touches her cheek for a moment. "I'm trusting you here... Stop if something feels wrong."

"I don't know what will happen. But I will stop. Don't let them hurt each other..." She says back.

"I'll be influenced, too," she reminds her softly. "But I will do my best." She kisses Serena's forehead, then stands. "Good luck."

She nods but is surprised at the show of affection. Deciding to ignore it, she sits back, waiting. "What can she do that we need to be outside and prepared?" Kerrick asks Anthea as she walks over to the rest of them.

"You're about to get a demonstration far superior to any verbiage I could lend the situation," Anthea said calmly, putting her hands in her pockets and turning to watch.

Serena takes a deep calming breath and lets her thoughts sink to the song of the ocean. It comes slower than normal, like it is traveling a far distance. It rises and bubbles in her chest, she opens her mouth, it flows out smoothly in a captivating flow of sound and word. A strong wind picks up and it carries the scent of saltwater with it. 

Lyla is about to say something snarky when Serena starts to sing, her mouth closes and her train of thought gets lost in the woman's song. She was lovely. 

Anthea was more prepared for it this time, but that didn't make it any less alluring. She managed a few moments' struggle before she started to forget why she was fighting. Kerrick was the first to start moving, Lyla soon behind. Kylea held out a bit, but soon was following behind the others towards the Siren.

She kept it going, wanting them to get the full effect. Then when Kerrick reached the rock, she stopped singing but held the magic in her words, "Could you be so kind as to sit down for me?" which he did almost immediately and without a word. Turning to the rest, she finally stopped all together and waited calmly for it to wear off, the wind slowly dying down as well. 

Anthea took a slow breath as her head cleared. She was a few steps behind the others, which was interesting. Apparently immunity could be developed. That could come in handy. The group was regathering their wits, and most eyes were now turning in awe to Serena.

Serena waited nervously for someone to say something, anything. But all were quiet, and with the damn blind fold on she was having trouble with reading everyone. Kerrick stood up but said nothing, giving Serena a look of awe. She began to get nervous and started to stand up but her legs had fallen asleep and she dropped to the ground. 

Anthea walked forward quickly at that, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Well done," she says softly. "I think they were suitably impressed." 

"You can say that again," Nehemi muttered. 

"Many times over," Lyla agreed.

She leans her head against Anthea's shoulder but doesn't say anything. 

She holds her a bit closer, rubbing her arm. "It's fine," she said quietly. "You did well."

"You can stop that now." She says and the magic is still in her voice. Every one of them stops what they are doing at that moment and waits. Serena's face goes blank the shamefulness welling up in her over the unintentional command.

Anthea stays stock still. Her mind is divided between an underlying, instinctual rush of adrenaline, and the overwhelming desire to trust the voice.

Serena turns from Antheas hold and hides her face against the flat of the rock she was next to. Waiting for the effects to pass.

They all stay still, waiting. Anthea's eyes are on the other woman, planning, mind racing.

Gradually the command wears off and Lyla is the first to walk away a few paces. As she does, "That is some powerful shit girly!" Nehemi is next, stretching with a groan. "Man, Anthea, I will never doubt again. Serena... I have no words." Anthea nods a little to acknowledge his comment as her own muscles return to her power, but her eyes are on Serena.

Serena is taking some calming breaths, face still pointed to the rock. She hears the voices and knows that the power is leaving but still worries.

"Do you want us to leave you be?" Anthea asks quietly. "Just nod yes or no."

She takes a few more slow breaths and finally turns her face back. "No. I'm fine." She says quietly and there is only the smallest brush of power left. Just enough to tickle the mind with a calming buzz.

She nods just slightly, leaning back then and then standing, offering her a hand up.

"My legs are tingling" she says but reaches up for the hand.

"Take it slow," she said, gripping her arm and helping her up.

Nehemi turns back, "Is she injured?" He asks Anthea as he kneels next to Serena.

"Her legs are still giving her trouble," Anthea sighs. "Right now I think they're just asleep, but stand by."

He nods. Serena tries to stand and after a few clumsy seconds, manages it. "I am very grateful for your help," she says quietly. Nehemi smiles. "No problem. That was unbelievable, what you just did." "Was it?" She asks and takes a slow step. Damn these stupid weak legs! "Yes," he said excitedly. "I've never seen anything like it!" 

Anthea spoke up. "Do you want the last layer of cloth off now?"

"Yes please." She almost begged with excitement dripping from her voice. This was the distraction she had needed.

"Here," she sighed, reaching out to untie it and slowly removing it from her face.

Everything was so colorful, there were so many shades of green and brown, the rock she had been sitting on had little specks of silver and shiny bits. The sky was the perfect shade of blue! She looked at her hands and feet, the few scales that remained on her shimmered in the sun. Nehemi's clothes were the most interesting textures as were the leaves on the ground and there were little plants everywhere. With all this beauty, Serena began to cry. Salt water dripping down her cheeks, her own ocean blue eyes wavering with tears or awe.

The others watched, all but Anthea very confused. Nehemi looked concerned. "What hurts?" he asked quickly, hands going out, ready to heal.

"It's all so colorful..." was the response he got. 

And Lyla's voice chimes in with, "She is acting like she has never seen outside before. Gods Anthea, what hole did you dig this one out of?" Kylea cleared her throat then smacked the other woman on the arm.

"Says the kobold I found passed out in a rubbish heap behind a godforsaken tavern on Rat Street," Anthea shot back a touch sharply, shooting a warning glance at Lyla.

"What? I'm just saying, it's weird. You find this little thing out of nowhere, with this terrifyingly powerful gift of thrall and... I don't know, it's just a little too perfect...yah know? Maybe she's a plant or something. No one is that innocent! Not around here." Lyla got a dirty look from just about everyone.

Anthea glances at her, then nods and walks over slowly. "You're right," she agreed. "She could be a plant. But then, so could you. What are the odds of me finding the precise thief I need passed out in a gutter? We all have gifts, mine is knowing when to take risks. Do you trust me? Or are we going to have a problem?" Her voice is warm, but her eyes are empty.

The kobold blanched, "Of course I trust you! I just-" before she can continue, Nehemi scoops up Serena as she wobbles on her feet. Serena says, "I'm from the sea. That's why I know nothing about the land. It's all new. If you don't trust me that's fine. I will leave. Anthea did me a favor by helping me have an adventure." Nehemi looks a little hesitantly at Anthea but doesn't put Serena down.

Anthea steps back then, closing her eyes and taking a breath. When she opens them, her expression is calm again. "No one is leaving, we're family. Let's act like it. Come on. We've been up here too long." She heads for the cabin.

"Please, Anthea, a little longer?" Serena begs softly as the woman walks past them.

Anthea sighed, turning back around to look at Serena. "Alright. Another few minutes. But no more than that."

With a grateful smile, Serena chimes in a musical voice, "You are wonderful!"

"Yeah yeah," Anthea snorted, smiling a little. "Nehemi, keep an eye on her. Lyla, with me."

"Will do." He says and walks off a ways as Lyla come up next to Anthea.

Kerrick and Kylea walked off with Nehemi, and Anthea sighed. "You think she's a risk?"

"I'm just playing the other side. If we can't control her, we could be her mindless slaves." She says as the walk slowly

She shakes her head. "Immunity is possible. It was easier for me to resist, this time. If we hyper-expose ourselves over the next few days..."

Lyla stops. "You want us to do what?!"

"I'll do it first," she said, unruffled in the face of Lyla's shock. "I'm not going to ask you to do something I can test first. I'll need to be able to resist her if she is going to use her powers at the gala. But if it works on me, then yes. You, too.”

"You are insane you know that?" She shakes her head. "What are you gonna do, lock yourself in a room and have her sing to you till you can fight it off?"

In the background, Serena is playing with a leaf and Kerrick hands her a flower. Which she puts in her hair.

"That was the thought," she said with a nod. "With breaks."

"I repeat, Insane." Is all she says but walks off towards the cabin.

She watches her go, then nods a little and heads over to where the others are playing. "Like a bunch of downy calves, honestly," she said as she approached. "Come on, time to go down."

Kerrick chimes in, "…it's refreshing. That's all. You should try it sometime." And Nehemi picks Serena up again.

"Yes yes, I'll write that into my schedule. Come on, come on." She headed for the cabin.

Everyone follows, Serena says, "That was not so bad as I thought it would be. Oh! Anthea, I wanted to ask if maybe I could sleep down by the hot water instead of in that horrible bed." She looks at the group as they follow their leader. "I don't know how you all do that! Its so hard and doesn't move, and those.... blankets? Yeah.. blankets. They are a death trap!"

She laughs. "You can sleep in the water if you would like, no skin off of my nose," she said, heading into the cabin and the back room.

A big smile crossed her face. Nehemi says quietly, "Clearly she hasn't been in your bed, Anthea, or she would never want the water!"

Anthea glances over her shoulder and smirks. "No one ever wants to leave my bed. That's my secret power." She lifted the cot and trap door, motioning them down.

A blank look comes across Serena's face, "I don't know what that means..." and Nehemi chuckles.

Anthea gives her a pitying look. "My naive little fish. Alright. Down you go."

"I'm not a fish!" She says with a bit of an edge and an insulted look. 

Anthea raises her free hand. "Not a fish. Got it. Go."

Nehemi puts her down and steps in front, "Just follow me; put your hand on my back if you need to." He moves down the stairs with Serena following, her face still a little pouty.

Anthea waited for Kerrick and Kylea to follow, then went down last, closing the trap door behind them.

"What do you all do down here?" Serena's voice floats up to ask openly.

"Work, mostly," Kerrick said. "There's daily planning sessions, and then people move off to their own projects."

"Can I help with anything...?" She asks, not really knowing what she could do. But at least the offer was there.

"Yes," Anthea said with a nod from the rear. "You and I are going to be prepping for the gala."

"..Alright." She says uncertainty. 

From down the hall a ways, Lyla's voice echoes, "Insane..."

Anthea rolled her eyes, touching Serena's shoulder as she passed. "Come on. Everyone else, Lyla has the building specs. I want an entry and retrieval plan, with one extra person on retrieval. Kerrick, work with Lyla on some disguise spells for us, I want to be exactly who they're expecting at this thing. Nehemi, go sort out wardrobe. Kylea, go over the guest list. I want to know who we might need to avoid."

All at once there is a collective, yes'm and everyone goes. Leaving Serena and Anthea in an empty hall. "You are a good leader." She says kindly.

She glances at her and smiles a bit. "The trick is to make everyone else do the work," she teases. Then, "Come on, my room. We have our own work to do."

Serena places her hand on Anthea's arm stopping her, with true sincerity in her eyes, "I am more grateful than you will ever know for today. I owe you everything for your simple act of kindness."

She glanced at her, and smiled just a little, putting a hand over hers. "Your smile was worth any small trouble, trust me."

Serena lets her hand fall. "What work do you want me to do?"

She headed for her room again, opening the door and stepping inside. "I noticed today that it was a little easier to resist your song than it was the first time. I was expecting it. I was able to maintain a little faculty."

Serena follows, "You did take a touch longer to move. Yes," She agrees.

Anthea closes the door before she continues. "I think it may be possible to develop some sort of... immunity, after repeated exposure. I want to try."

Serena pauses, "You have only had a few moments of this and ...you want more? You want to lose your willpower over and over again? All in hopes that you will become immune...?"

She nods, eyes on the other woman, unwavering. "If I'm going to work with you while you do this, I need to be useful. Do you think it could work?"

"I... I'm not sure... I haven't really pushed it on you or anyone. The last two times, they were the equivalent of me whispering."

She nods just a little, walking over to sit on her bed. "How does it work, do you know? If I couldn't hear you, would I be affected?"

"It will resonate. But I'm not sure if it will affect you or not. None of my people have tested it. We never had the need. Not that I know of." She sits on the bed next to Anthea and flops back into the pillows and layer of blankets "eepp" she squeaks as she falls back.

Anthea laughs as she almost disappears in the pile of furs. "Alright there?"

"What is this? It's so soft!" she rubs the fur against her face and smiles. 

"Animal fur," Anthea said with a smirk. "It is very soft, yes."

“Yes, very soft.." she says absently, forgetting for a moment what they had been talking about.

She laughs. "You're welcome to sleep here any time you like. Plenty of room." She lays back. "What if you ordered me not to listen to you anymore?"

"Maybe I will try sleeping here tonight..." she says and sits up, "I am not sure if that would work, it would be an order to ignore all the other orders. I could try. We can always try." A thought struck her, "Is this what they meant by not wanting to leave your bed?" she runs her hands along the fur.

She raises a dark eyebrow, and laughs quietly. "Part of it, yes." She pauses to think. Then making up her mind, "Tell me, Serena. Among your people, are there lovers?"

"Lovers? We do have affection for each other but, I do not think that it is the same as what you are talking about." She pauses and her face shows sadness. "I have said before, we do not have many young around. I have never once seen younglings. We have none. Not anymore." Looking off across the room, "So no, We do not have lovers." Frowning, "We have cold hearts like the sea..." She speaks softly, lost in thought. the words leave her lips like a mantra. 

She glances over at her, then nods. "That explains a lot, actually." She smiles. "Well, if you ever want to learn about that aspect of our culture, I'd be happy to introduce you."

"I wouldn't say no to an offer to learn, but then again, I want to learn everything I can. All of this is so new and wonderful!" She says not really knowing what Anthea is offering but is willing to learn about it all. "Maybe knowing more will help with the gala." She adds.

She raises an eyebrow. "It might," she agreed, before leaning over and touching Serena's chin, catching her gaze with an intrigued look before smiling and kissing her.

Serena waited for the air to be taken or given but it never happened. Anthea's lips press against hers. That was all. After a long moment Serena pulled back, "is that a kiss?"

She nodded, looking at the other woman, gauging her reactions, undiscouraged. "Yes. For landlings it can be pleasurable."

"Why?" Serena asks simply and brings her fingers to her lips. They are moist and warm from the brief touch.

"I... don't know," Anthea admitted, sitting back a bit. "Perhaps because it is a promise to so much more."

"Is that why you find it pleasurable? More? More what? I mean to say, it was not unpleasant..." She sits calmly but her mind races with questions.

"There are many points of landling bodies that, when stimulated, result in pleasure. I don't know if that translates to your body or not. But landlings that are attracted to each other will give each other pleasure for entertainment or to show affection."

Understanding flashes in her eyes finally. "My tail, it's... very sensitive... in spots"

She nods. "My hope is some of that sensitivity has translated. Something worth exploring at some point."

"And this kissing of the lips is one for you?" The siren asks, looking at Anthea's mouth. Full lips with a slight pink to them.

"Mmm... A mild one, for starting out, but yes," nodded, smiling.

She leans in and places her lips on Anthea's then after a moment, "I this right?" She asks, still pressed there.

Anthea laughs softly, and nods, moving her lips a little until they fit together more naturally.

Serena softened hers a bit. Then she pulled back. "I don't understand that. But it was interesting to learn." And she gives a nod of appreciation.

She nods, pulling away. "Whatever you want to learn, I am eager to explore with you, but for the moment we should experiment with other things."

"I was afraid you would say that." She sighs. "Alright, what first? "

"Let's start with the simplest," she said calmly. "Put me under, and then order me to ignore you. See if that works. If something goes wrong, get Nehemi."

Serena sits up, "How long should I sing for? " Her stomach feels as if there are butterflyfish inside, a most unpleasant feeling.

"Not long at first," she says, sitting back a little, preparing herself. "Start small."

The siren calls up the song inside like she had so many times before and begins singing. Looking at Anthea as she does. Keeping watch on anything that could be wrong.

She feels the deep power roll over her, and does her best to succumb to it. To give over control. She would need to resist the urge to fight back, if this was going to work.

As Serena sang, she took the time to look over the woman's face. She had curves to her cheeks and a dip of the chin. She wanted to follow it but held herself back. It would not do during this test to distract either of them. She sang for just a few moments more no longer then the first time with Anthea on that rock in the ocean. When her song died on her lips, she sat and watched.

She took a slow breath, opening her eyes and looking at Serena . She was entrancing, every movement of her muscles a mesmerizing dance.

Tentatively, Serena asked, "How do you feel?" And the power was still there. Sitting in her throat.

"How would you like me to feel?" she asks, smiling slowly.

"Stop listening to me alright? " She said firmly but the uncertainty was apparent.

She blinks slowly, the smile still present, but her eyes are a touch more clear. "If that's what you want."

She frowns slightly still concerned. That was not how this was supposed to go. Serena tried again, "Just relax, be yourself," Serena says, hoping this is the right thing to say.

She takes a slow breath, the order still resonating._ Stop_ _listening to me._ She considered Serena, and then plugged her ears, closing her eyes and started to hum.

Serena sighs with relief then sits in silence watching as Anthea fights the order.

She continues humming, until she feels the compulsion start to fade. Eventually she regains enough to wonder why she is humming, and drops her hands with a sigh, looking up at Serena. "Well... it's a start."

"Yes. It is." She looks hopeful, "maybe it won't be so bad next time."

She nods. "We should adjust the wording of your command. I need to be able to work, not just hum."

"Okay, what do you suggest?" Serena shifts slightly to face Anthea more, wanting to learn and help.

She sighed, reaching out to trail fingers over Serena's leg absently as she thought. "Perhaps 'Ignore my influence and carry on as normal....' We can experiment with different wordings."

Serena watches as the finger moves slowly. And a strange thing happens, she gets the chills, awkwardly blinks slow and says, "Yes, we can.. uh.. try different phrasing." These landlings touched all the time. It was  _ very _ off putting.

She nods, fingers trailing upward for a moment, before her hand drops. "Okay," she says quietly, taking a slow breath, expression leveling. "Again."


	6. Shes a Fucking Fish!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _ We already have the first book of the series completed, so we hope to update fairly regularly. If the chapters continue to be about this length, we're looking at about a hundred chapters in book one, so hopefully updates will be pretty regular for a while! Thanks for reading, all, and as always, comments make us treat the characters [better/worse/more like whatever you're hoping for]. Definitely. Always. The authors would like to inform you that the tense of this work shifts back and forth a bit in the first few chapters as they get used to their own writing styles. If you have an issue with this, the authors would like to suggest that you suck it and deal._  

> 
> _The Children of the Gods_

They worked for hours, Serena singing again and again, adjusting the wording until Anthea could perform simple tasks, though never against Serena's orders. By the time the hour candle is burning low, Anthea is sweating and a touch paler than usual. She stands to light a new candle as the old one reaches its final mark. "Again," she says quietly, rubbing at her eyes.

" I think not. You look as if you need sleep." Serena says, tired herself but not as nearly as how Anthea looked. 

"A few more-" There's a firm knock on the door. 

"If anyone is inside anyone, stop now," Lyla's voice came sarcastically, before shoving the door open. She took one look at Anthea, and rolled her eyes. "Food. Now. Come on, Serena. She'll work forever unless you beat her over the head with something. She's an idiot like that."

Serena giggles musically and stands up, sways and sits back down, her face going pale as the room spins. "That can not be a good thing," she mutters.

"Shit. Both idiots apparently," Lyla muttered, walking forward and pressing a hand to Serena's forehead. "You're cold. Come on, take it slow..." she said, reaching out to help her up. She shot a glare at Anthea. "She's freezing. You should have stopped hours ago." Anthea waved her off, pinching the bridge of her nose. 

"She's capable of stopping if she wants."

The siren looks at Anthea, "She is right. I will be fine." She stands again and barely stays up. "We should eat. Food will get us energy to continue.”

Lyla shifts an arm around her waist, keeping her upright. "Come on," she says quietly, heading for the door.

"Are you coming? " she asks as they walk out the door and into the hallway, leaning a little too much on Lyla, the room tilting slightly. 

"I'll be there soon," Anthea calls. 

"Leave her," Lyla growls. "Fucking idiotic drama queen."

"Why are you so harsh?" she asks as they move towards the kitchen. 

"Because she always does this," she mutters. "The first time you think she's brave. The third or fourth time you think she's determined. Then it's just stupid." They walked into the kitchen, and she helped Serena into a chair, considering her for a moment before saying "Soup." decisively and moving off to find ingredients.

"What is Soup?" She asks as she sits, pulling a small chunk of bread to her. 

"Hot, tasty liquid," she said as she walked over to the fire in the kitchen grate- another one of Kerrick's smokeless innovations- and put a kettle of water over it.

"I suppose that I will have to trust you." Serena smiles kindly and looks around the strange room. 

"Yup," she says matter-of-factly, smiling over her shoulder before throwing a few beef bones and some onions into the water as well.

"I am grateful for the help, truly. You have no reason to be so kind." Serena says, then takes a bit of the bread.

She looked up, and shrugged. "You're one of us now. You got adopted. Get used to it." She threw a few more piles of vegetables and spices into the pot, and then walked over to a cask and poured a cup of a deep red liquid, bringing it over. "Here. Wine oughta warm you up a bit."

Serena sniffed it and then took a drink,she began coughing and choking hard, she gasped out, "What is that?" 

"Wine," Lyla said, raising an eyebrow. "Never had it before?"

Still gasping, she shakes her head. "No. No I hadn't."

"Take it slowly then. Have you ever had alcohol before?" Lyla raised an eyebrow.

"I'm going to say no. Since I don't know what that is." She takes another bite of the bread.

"Take it very slow then. And eat more bread." She shakes her head, muttering something about 'fecking strays' fondly, and standing to stir the soup.

She dips the bread into the wine when Lyla's back is turned and she eats that, smiling.

Lyla adds a few more things to the soup, and leans against the wall near the fire, watching the siren with a raised eyebrow but not commenting on her decision.

With a sharp toothy grin she looks over the kolbald. "She called you a thief...?" she asks in a odd tone.

She nodded. "I am a thief. A good one, too." She grinned. "That amuses you?"

"You are just going to call me something silly. Since I don't know what that is. Is it your life task?" She took another sip of the wine.

"My... I suppose? I mean, it's what I do at the moment. Might decide to do something else later. Probably won't, but who knows?" She turned to the soup, stirring it and pulling out a spoonful to taste, before walking over to the shelf and grabbing some salt pork, walking back over and starting to shred it into the pot. "It means I am very, very good at getting places where I don't belong and taking things that weren't originally mine."

"Oh!" Serena shouts, surprised, "You are a Finder!!"

"A finder?" She asks, tasting the soup again and nodding a bit in approval, going to grab some bowls. "Perhaps, yes."

"Where I am from, it is a very helpful Life task. Most of what we have is from the finders." 

"Well, it's pretty important around here, too." She doled out two bowls of soup and brought one over, setting it in front of Serena. "Careful, it's very hot." She handed her a spoon.

"Should we go get Anthea? She should eat too." Serena asks and takes the spoon. She can at least figure out how to scoop up the liquid and blows on it. Then sips it slowly. 

Lyla grumbles something, but sighs, and nods. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Remember to take it slow." She heads out into the hall.

Serena pulls the soup bowl closer and blows on the spoon slowly. It is salty like the sea and tastes of the meat that was floating in it. She likes the small other things in it as well. Not sure what it was, but she was definitely going to ask. She finished the rest of the wine in between spoonfuls of the soup until it too was gone. 

There is silence for a few moments, just her and the soup, until Lyla's voice, loud and tense, echoes through the halls, calling for Nehemi. There is the sound of several sets of fast footsteps, then silence again.

Serena stands, wavers, then takes a step. She makes her way out into the hallway and back to Anthea's door. Her vision is still swirling but she keeps her hand on the wall for support.  She looks into the room with worry in her mind. 

Nehemi and Lyla are bent over Anthea's bed, mostly blocking the view. Anthea's feet and one hand are visible, and there is the orange glow of Nehemi's magic. Kerrick is standing just behind, and Kylea behind him. The warrior catches sight of Serena and walks over quickly. "You should be resting."

"I'm fine, what is happening? " she asks, very concerned, and takes a step into the room. 

"I don't know," Kylea said, stepping back, still eyeing Serena uncertainly. "Lyla found her." Anthea is lying on the bed, slick with sweat. Nehemi's hands are pressed over her face, and one of her hands grips over them so tightly that her nails draw blood from his wrist. Lyla is holding her in place with a hand on her chest and another on her hips, watching with cold detachment as Nehemi prays.

Serena gasps and moves to the bed crawling as best she can to sit at her head. not touching her or interrupting Nehemi, looking instead to Lyla.

Lyla glances up, and there is worry underneath the coolness. She just shakes her head a little tiredly, turning her attention back to the woman on the bed, who is growing still and relaxing under Nehemi's quick mutterings, until she eventually falls slack, hand releasing its grip, breaths slowing.

When Nehemi finally stops, Serena looks at him, questioning glint in her eyes, but she waits. Praying to Untine that this is not her fault but knowing it must be. 

Nehemi removes his hands for the moment, and Anthea is sleeping. "I put her under for now," he said quietly. "I'll need to look into what's going on more. Someone bring me water, and the black-bound book in my writing desk." Kylea nodded and left quickly.

"How was she when you came in?" The siren asks Lyla, not able to take her eyes off of Anthea's now sleeping form. Knowing she could do nothing to help. 

"Shaking," Lyla said quietly. "Her eyes were open but she didn't see me." Nehemi looked at Serena. "How many times did the two of you practice today?"

"I...I don't know, I lost count, she kept pushing and saying she was alright. Maybe 8 or 9 times? We took breaks. Not long but...She told me she was fine...." She stopped talking. realizing that she was just repeating herself. This was her fault.

Nehemi nodded a little, then glanced at her and seemed to read her mind. "This isn't your fault. Anthea is.. A bit like you, really. She can get people to do what she wants."

Serena's hand gently moved through the woman's hair absently. Her thoughts lost in a swirl of worry. What did she do? How did she do it? She didn't really hear Nehemi talking. 

Nehemi watched her, and sighed, before looking up as Kylea returned with water and the book. He nodded his thanks, setting the book aside for the moment and dipping a cloth in the cool water, laying it across Anthea's forehead. Then he dried his hands and sat back, hefting the large book into his lap, starting to flip through pages carefully.

Serena leans down and whispers in her ear, "You will be okay, your pod is here to take care of you now." Then she slides away and off the bed. Keeping her eyes to the ground like she is concentrating on walking, she heads to the door. 

Lyla murmurs something to Nehemi, who nods, not looking up from his book, and she stands, following after Serena. Kerrick moves in to take her place beside Anthea.

Serena walks out to the hall and leans against the hard stone of the dimly lit hallway, "You should go and take care of her. Im just going to rest. I will be of no help right now." 

Lyla studies her quietly. "Are you alright?"

Taking a breath she nods slightly and, hand still on the wall, she walks slowly in the direction of the room that they had given her.  _ Her fault, Her fault. She should not have done this. She belongs in the water. _

Lyla watches her go, then says to her retreating back "You are welcome here. Go rest."

Serena walks to her room and when she is safely behind the closed door, she drops to the ground. Her head spinning as is the room.

~.~

Kerrick, having taken Lyla's spot, pipes up, asking Nehemi, "What do you think this is all about?" 

Nehemi shakes his head just a little. "I'm not sure. If I had to guess? The brain isn't made to be coerced so many times in such a short period, especially not by something usually meant to cause death."

"That girl is dangerous. I can't get the fact that I wanted to sit for her outside, out of my head. She is also sweet. It's not a good combination. That's for sure." Kerrick said as he dipped the cloth back into the water and placed it back on Anthea's head. 

"To be fair, I'm certain Anthea has her usual hold on her. She's dangerous, yes, but I doubt she's to blame here," Nehemi sighed.

"Yes, we all know how she can get and she has done it to us all at one point or another." He hops off the bed, "You got this? I'm going back to work on my task. You know where I will be if you need me." And he leaves, not waiting for an answer.

Nehemi sighs and waves him off, though the gnome has already left. He shifts for a moment, getting comfortable, before closing his eyes and reaching his hands out, starting to pray again.

In Serena's room, she lays on the floor, head spinning and throat pulsing with tightness. Tears streak her face. She feels too dry even as she cries out her own water. Finally her vision goes dak and she passes out from exhaustion. 

Lyla goes to check in with her about an hour later, and pauses in the doorway, before leaning against the door and rubbing her eyes tiredly. She sighs, then, stepping forward and bending to scoop the woman up into her arms, huffing a bit in exertion but managing to place her on the bed. She puts a blanket over her after checking her temperature, and leaves to find Kerrick.

~.~

Nehemi finishes his most recent round of Prayers and moves his hands. She does look better, had a warmer color. 

Lyla pokes her head in, checking on the two of them. "How's it going?" she asked quietly.

"I have done basically all I can; she is gonna wake up feeling good as new. She just needs to wake up and I hope that is soon - you know how mad she gets when she sleeps through important time. I don't want to deal with that." He stood up and stretched, "How's the Newbie?" 

"Passed out in her room. Just tired, I think. I think she'll be alright. She's upset, I think, but I don't have a good enough read on her yet to say for sure."

"Yeah, I can tell, you just said I think about three times." He teases and lets out a huff of a laugh. "Maybe you need some sleep too, huh? Maybe we all do." He rubs his eyes.

She sighs, but nods a little. "Not a bad idea. I'll take the first watch. Kylea can take the second. Go get some sleep."

Without another word he walks past her, and to his room, book under his arm, stifling a yawn.

She takes one last look at the sleeping Anthea, shakes her head slightly, shutters the lights, and heads out to find the others and tell them to sleep.

~.~

Serena wakes up, stumbles to the door and back down the hall to Anthea's room, pulling her stone out for light. Once in, she crosses to the bed and sits the stone at her head, laying down beside the sleeping woman. It's not long till she passes out again.

Anthea wakes up a few hours later, disoriented. She is in her bed, and there is something warm next to her.... She shifts a little to see Serena beside her. What had... when had she fallen asleep?

Serena lay still, breathing slightly fast, and a sheen of sweat on her. The blue rock shines soft light.

Serena doesn't look well, and she reaches out to touch her forehead, feeling for a fever, trying to remember what had happened. They had been working...

At the touch, Serena opens her eyes, dazed. She looks up trying to focus on Anthea's face. A weak smile brushes her lips and her eyes close again. "You are okay." She breathes out barely audible.

"Yeah... you aren't. What's going on?" She brushes a hand through her hair.

She doesn't answer for a moment, then one word, "Water," as a request, a plea. Her eyes remain closed.

"Yeah, alright, right back," she said, hopping up quickly and walking to a small cask in the corner of her room with a mug beside it, filling it quickly and bringing it over and kneeling beside the other woman, helping her shift up and handing her the mug, keeping one hand on it to hold it steady when she noticed the other woman shaking.

Her whole body was shivering. She couldn't keep her eyes open or form a full thought. She shakes her head once when Anthea tries to raise it to her mouth. "I.. water." She mumbles and spills the mug all over her lap before falling back, eyes rolling, body shaking.

"Oh. Shit. Okay," she mutters, setting the mug aside and standing to open her door. She returns, shifting the woman into her arms, not thinking about whether she could lift her right now- she needed to- and heading into the hall at a brisk pace and for the door to the stairs.

Kylea's is headed down the hall when she sees Anthea. "What's wrong?" She asks leaving her trident against the wall. She takes the woman from her and holds her gently. "You should be sleeping."

"Not an option right now," she says, relinquishing Serena to the stronger woman. "She needs to be in the spring. Now." Her tone of voice brokered no arguments and she headed down the hall again, opening doors for Kylea, motioning her through.

She nods and follows, not asking another thing. She knew when it's time to just follow orders.

They worked their way quickly down the stairs, Anthea helping to carry Serena when she could, until they reached the spring. She didn't bother taking either of their clothes off, just jumped into the hot water and reached out to take Serena from Kylea, lowering her into the water.

Serena shudders when she touches the water. Her body arching in the woman's arms. "Water, I need water..." the siren keeps mumbling, her lips moving even after she is submerged.

Kylea's just stands and watches silently.

She didn't know what to do, hoping she was doing the right thing, and lowered the woman completely beneath the surface.

Kylea jumps in, with a shout, "What are you doing?" The large woman grabs for Serena.

"Keep her down," Anthea snarls. "Trust me."

She stops and lets her go, stepping out of the water. "I'm going to get Nehemi." She says and takes off back up the stairs.

She nods a little, sitting down slowly and keeping Serena close, one hand monitoring her pulse, the other her breaths, her eyes watching her face carefully.

Her skin becomes pink from the warmth of the water, but she still doesn't stir. The scales on her body turning a dull grey of storm clouds.

"Come on, you idiot," Anthea murmurs, her own pulse picking up_. Don't let me have killed her._ _Come on, come on..._

Nehemi comes flying down the stairs a few minutes later, pulling on a tunic, "Get her out of there! Now." He lands right outside the water and pulls them both out, getting soaked in the process.

"She's a fucking fish, Nehemi!" Anthea growls, though she lets him pull them out for the moment. "I took her out, but she's got gills and everything. I tried making her drink, she wouldn't take anything, kept saying she wanted water so here the fuck we are!”

Calmly he says, "Yes, she is a fish, and you are drowning her in water. She said it herself, 'came from the sea' and what's the sea made of? Use your head Anthea, it's your best tool."

Her head was fogged, and she rubbed at it angrily. "Salt," she said after a moment. "Salt water."

He stands up with her, "Kerrick and Kylea are grabbing the bathing tub, the big one from the cabin." We can fill it up here. Unless you have a faster way to do this."

"No. Do what you need to do, Nehemi," she said, waving him off. She's furious at herself, but for the moment she keeps it contained. "I'll get salt from the stores and be back."

He nods and puts the shivering girl down as Kerrick yells down, "This thing is huge, why did we get such a large heavy prop? I'm gonna have to shrink it to get it down!"

"Just do it, Kerrick," Anthea said tensely, her and Kylea heading for the storeroom.

"Yes'm," he says as she races by. Nehemi starts praying over Serena, and is still praying when the tub gets there. He is holding Serena head in his lap, Kerrick comes down carrying what looks like a toy in his hands. He puts it next to the water and steps back, waiting for Anthea.

Anthea comes vaulting down the steps two at a time, a few minutes later, holding a mid-sized cedar chest in her hands. She sets it beside Nehemi and nods to Kerrick. "Grow the tub, get water into it," she says as she opens the chest to get to the salt.

The tub grows and it is  _ huge _ . At least 7 ft long, with large claws at its base and very deep. A spell went off the fill it with water, and Nehemi lifted Serena up. 

Anthea stood, dumping the salt in slowly and stirring, tasting every once in a while until it tasted about right for the ocean.

Nehemi places her in and lets her sink down, her mouth gapes and moved a bit, her skin shimmers in the water. He then turns to Anthea, Taking a calming breath he says, "Well now, let's look you over."

"I'm fine. Is she going to be alright?" She reached into the water to take Serena's pulse again.

"You are not alright, I spent a good hour fixing you." He says sternly. When she touches Serena she feels like there is a coating of slime all along her skin. Her legs are turning the deep blue that her tail was when Anthea first saw her, and her whole lower half looks like its growing longer.

"Shit," Anthea sighs, watching her quietly. "She's not going to be happy when she needs to shift back again." She ignored Nehemi for now, sitting down in her soaked clothes by the tub. They needed this woman. She was the next step.

Kerrick looks in, "Wow you aren't kidding, she is a fish." He reaches in but can't actually reach her. Giving up, he sits down next to Anthea.

Anthea pushes her hair out of her face. "We'll need to buy more salt. That's the last of our stock. We need it on hand if something like this happens again," she said absently.

"What did the two of you do?" Kerrick asked.  Nehemi said, "Whatever it was it made you almost brain dead and now it's affecting her. I can't fix her. I could barely fix you."

"We were experimenting," Anthea said, her voice cool. "We need to understand the limitations of her powers, how to work with them. She knows very little about that aspect."

"Well now you know. Don't do it again." He says and briskly walks away.  Kerrick whistles low, "It's not everyday you make Nehemi actually angry! Way to go boss!"

"Kerrick, don't make me kill you. You're useful." Anthea returned calmly.

He laughs and stands up, "I'm gonna get back to my work now." He waves as he leaves.

A bubbling sound comes from the tub and the Serena's tail fin pops out of the water and flops to the side.

Anthea kneels up, looking down into the water.

Serena eyes are open but she still looks dazed. A gentle smile crossed her lips when she sees Anthea. She mouths a weak, "Hello."

"Hello," she returns quietly, reaching into the water to take Serena's hand in hers.

Her skin is soft now, and not slimy she still has the skirt and top on, which looks ridiculous. But she slides up to let her head break the surface and pulls her tail back in. It barely fits.

"How are you feeling?" Anthea asks quietly, watching her carefully.

"Better, you look better too." She smiles wider. "What..what happened?"

"You scared the hell out of me, that's what happened," she snorted a bit roughly. "Started begging for water and then passed out. Didn't come to until we got you into salt water."

"Huh..." was all she said, thinking. "When I call to my power, it's from the water and maybe doing so, so many times just... wasn't good?"

"Yeah, I picked up on that," she said quietly, reaching up to rub at her eyes. "I apologize. That was a stupid move, on my part."

"I was worried about you. You were not okay but you said you were fine." She looked her over; maybe they were both at fault for this. "Perhaps next time, more space in between and I should be well…damp?"

She laughed. "Perhaps, yes," she agreed quietly. "We'll take it slow." She closed her eyes, taking a slow breath. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off, she had a splitting headache. She opened her eyes. "You're going to have to shed your tail again."

"Hmm...yes, I know. Maybe it won't be as painful this time," She says optimistically. "You do not look well. Maybe some food will do you good. You should eat."

She nodded a little. "Not a terrible idea. Do you want to stay in here for now? Or change?"

"I will stay. I missed this." And she bubbled back down under.

She stood, nodding just a little, and walking up the stairs much more slowly than her adrenaline-fueled burst of earlier.

Lyla was in the kitchen again having just woken up when Anthea walks in. "Heard what happened..." She says and puts a bowl of sugared oats in front of her with some berries in it.

She glances at Lyla, trying to read her intent, before relaxing a little and nodding her thanks, digging into the food almost before she sat down.  "More?" Lyla asks and sets down a mug of water.

She glances up, and slows down eating just a little. "Maybe in a minute."

"Alright." The kobold sits down opposite her.

She eats quietly for a few minutes, before saying "You were right. It was too risky."

Lyra asks, "Why did you push it so hard so fast? Did you want to break her? Or you?" And takes a drink of her own mug."You don't need me to tell you that you almost did. Of your own doing this time. Take a moment and think about that. You might hate the guy's guts, we all might, but that girl has no idea." 

She sighs. "How long have we been going after this bastard? Four, five months of planning for one fat pig in a tiny castle. We have a chance to take him out. I'm not going to waste it."  She eats a few bites, before sitting back. "We're supposed to be leveling the field. Breaking down mountains and filling valleys, and we've managed to get our shovel stuck in the first thing bigger than a molehill. She is the key to this, Lyla. Our ace. She is going to buy us the power we need, but we have to be able to work with her."

"I get it," She says but is still looking at the mug. “Did you even tell her what you want her to do? What could be at risk? "

"I told her I wanted her to thrall him. What else is there to say? She knows the risks better than I do, clearly." She rubbed at her eyes, before taking a sip of water.

"She is not a grifter like you, she cannot put on a face and pretend. What she is is what she is, at least from what I can tell. I get that you make the plans, we all trust you to keep us safe but..." she shakes her head. "You know what? I will just stick to my job.”

"Lyla..." she sighed, looking over at the kobold. "I was wrong, alright? You told me I was wrong, I ignored you, it went south. What else do you want me to do?"

"Nothing. What do I care. She's a liability," she says, standing up, leaving her mug on the table, and walks out. 

Anthea swears under her breath, leaning back and pressing her hands to her eyes. She takes a few slow breaths, then stands, scrubbing out her mostly-empty bowl and grabbing some bread and cheese, heading to check in on Serena.

Serena is out of the tub, bare naked and ringing her hair out. legs dry and pale skin clean. She looks up and smiles at Anthea.

"Hey," she says, walking over and offering the bread and cheese. "How was it this time?"

"Just like it was last time." She takes the food. and starts shoving it in her mouth. Between bits she says, "The coverings were soaked and I was not changing with them on." 

"That's fine, you know it doesn't bother me." Speaking of which, her own 'coverings' were still damp. She pushed her hair back from her face. "Look... Serena. I'm sorry. I endangered you. That was not my intent."

"Oh I understand that. I did not think that you would willingly harm me, or yourself for that matter. I am also very sorry for causing you harm." She finishes off the bread and cheese, then continues, "I know that my skills are made to harm. I am just so glad that I did not...." She swallows, "I did not kill you." 

She laughed tiredly. "I told you to do it, you listened. I'm glad I didn't kill you." She stood, then, walking over to touch Serena 's cheek and bending to kiss her gently. "I'm going to change and sleep before I deal with defusing my people. You're welcome to join me if you like."

"Sleep would be nice. I have not tried to stand; will you help me?" She lifts her hand up for assistance.

She nods, reaching out and taking Serena 's hand firmly, easing her upward.

She stands with very little pain and smiles. "That was less painful. I think I am getting the hang of this." 

"Good," she says, relieved that one thing has gone right today. "Come on then. Bed beckons."

Serena took the woman's hand and stopped her, "You kissed me again. Does that mean you want more affection?"

She glanced at her, gripping her hand just a little and smirking. "I always want more affection."

"How does one show more affection to a landling? I do want to learn. " She lets go and lets them move forward again while continuing to talk, "Unless I have the understanding, I wont know if I overstep. ... huh... that is a funny idea... Me, overstepping " She grins at that idea.

She laughs. "Landlings show affection in many ways. Hugs between friends. Kisses between close friends, and lovers. More intimate touches between lovers, and worlds beyond that." She started up the stairs.

With complete innocence and interest she asks, "Teach me? So I know what is right.” The last thing she wanted was to do something wrong in ignorance and get in trouble for it.

She nods, looking back down at the woman behind her with hungry interest. "Anything you want to know."

"Good, because I truly want to know everything." She lost herself in that thought but kept walking. 

"I can appreciate that," she says with a small smirk, walking into the hall and toward her room.

Anthea entered her room, stripping off her damp clothes as she did so and tossing them into the wash pile before heading for the chest in the corner.

Serena moved to the bed and sat. Watching Anthea move, still trying to learn the proper way to get about without limping.

She grabbed a soft, thin robe, a bit cold from being in the damp clothes, and slung it on loosely before turning to open a drawer in her desk. She pulled out a travel-worn notebook, ink, and pen, dipping the pen before starting to jot quick notes into the book. "My apologies, give me just a moment."

Serena scooted back and flopped into the fur and layers of the bed with a light giggle. Still damp and the fur sticks to her skin and hair.

She blotted the page a moment later and tucked the book away, turning to walk over to the bed with a smile. "You seem more comfortable in a bed now, at least."

"This one is soft and doesn't feel like a trap. It still doesn't move, but it's manageable." Serena grins.

She chuckles. "You get used to the not moving. But you're always welcome to sleep in the hot spring if you like.”

Rolling to her side, Serena smiles,"I will remember that."

She lay down with a content sigh next to Serena , glancing over at her with a smirk. "Well, we're both alive."

"Yes, that we are. Let us not do that again...It was frightening.” she shivered at the idea.

"Agreed," Anthea sighed, eyeing the other woman up and down slowly, gaze calculating.

She realized that Anthea is staring at her and asks, "What do you see?"

"A lot of things," she says with a smirk, reaching out to trail her fingers down Serena 's hip. "And I'm wondering how much of your body is still... What do your people call themselves? And how much of you is landling."

"We don't have a name, we are just us. What would you call me?” Serena pauses to think, “As for how much is landling, I don't know. I would think most of me." She watches as Anthea's hand traces on her body. Feeling the touch and enjoying the soft smooth fingers.

She shrugs. "There are stories of creatures like you... not exactly, mind, but legends are rarely exact. The sailors call you Sirens."

"Sirens...hmm...that has a nice roll to it. Why did they call us that? Do you know?" she relaxes, running a hand down the fur near her belly and enjoying the texture. a new sensation to remember once back home.

"I don't," she says softly, her fingers wandering to the woman's thigh, outside, down, inside, up, slow. "But you're known as harbingers of death."

"Yes, that sounds about right." She closes her eyes at the feeling of her fingers moving, it's calming like a wave lapping. “Death on the waves.”

"Why do you do that, anyway? Lure people?" She leaned down to kiss the side of Serena's neck, scraping her teeth just a little. The smooth skin felt foreign and cool against her tongue, but not unpleasant.

"That is pleasant." She comments at the strange behavior, then continues, "I'm sure there was a reason in the past. But now, we do it to appease Untine and keep our people safe."

"Appease a god, huh?" she asked, leaning back to look at her, eyes narrowed a bit, thinking. "You are a challenge," she muttered, before sliding her hand between Serena 's legs, brushing over her core lightly, to see if that at least had any effect.

"How am I a challen- " Her hand freezes on the fus, her body reacting. Her breath catches in her throat and her cheeks flush pink.

"Oh good, we have something to work with," Anthea chuckles, watching the muscles in Serena 's throat jump and bending to press her lips to them again, her hand sliding down the inside of her thigh before moving back up again, pausing just short. "Good feeling or bad?"

"Good... it is like... my tail... only... more" she says, trying to get her brain to start working, sounding exasperated.

"Excellent. Good starting point, I can work with that. Next on the list, do these do anything or are they just for show?" She smirked, her free hand reaching up to scratch a nail lightly over Serena 's breast.

"For show?” she asked confused. Then, feeling the graze of the nails makes her skin shiver and small bumps rise on her arms. The few scales the were left on her changed color slowly from a light turquoise to a deep purple. 

Anthea laughed in delight at the change in color, reaching out to smooth fingers over the shifting scales. "My, look at you... I'm beginning to think you're full of delightful surprises..."

Grinning from ear to ear, she looks at her skin and says, "My tail does that sometimes, when I'm... oh...."

"Have we finally found a relatable activity?" Anthea laughs, looking up at her face.

She nods still smiling. And reaches out with gentle fingers, tracing Anthea's jawline hesitantly.

She hums softly at the touch, tilting her head a little. "And what is that?"

"Ah... mmm, when we swim together, that is.. well, I have not done it, but... it's a swim with patterns and we are synchronized. I... it's hard to explain and... beautiful to watch. so I have been told..."

She tilted her head a little, eyes narrowed in confusion. "Some sort of... dance?"

"If I knew what that was..." She smiled

She gave a deep laugh. "Alright then. Well, at least there's a little common ground." She bent to bite Serena 's ribs just below her breast, hand sliding between her thighs again, fingers trailing over her heat inquisitively.

She gasped for air at the bite, and her brain went blank again at the hand touching her. "If, if... I touch you like this.. will you... will it please you?" She asked.

She snickers. "Yes. Very much," she murmured against her skin, fingers tracing gentle patterns, heightened ears listening for reactions, mapping sensitivities.

"Why the... the bite?" She runs shaky fingers through Anthea's hair. becoming bolder with every touch.

"A little pain to offset the pleasure," she said, leaning up to look at her with eyes that are dark and full of amusement. "A little clarity." She slides fingers to the siren's entrance, circling it gently, but not pressing further, not yet.

Serena scoots back away from her hands, "That is very...distracting. I thought you were going to teach me. How can I learn if I can't think?"

She stops when she pulls away, but smiles. "Thinking can come later. Learning involves knowing what the hell you're trying to do. You watched me walk before you tried."

"Yes, I did, I still watch you walk. May I try the... bite thing?" She asked, and sat up a bit, embarrassed at being caught watching.

She raises an eyebrow, but nods, motioning for her to continue.

Moving closer Serena runs her fingers down Anthea's shoulder and down her arm. awkwardly leaning in she asks, "Where?"

Anhea smirks a little. "Wherever you like." She reached out to touch the woman's neck, shoulders, ribs, hips. "Any of these... good places to start."

Serena pushes Anthea back until the siren is over her. She sets her mouth to the woman's shoulder, sinking her teeth into it. Her very sharp tipped teeth that sink straight into the shoulder and draw blood. She pulls back as soon as she tastes the tang. Licking her lips, she says quickly, "I am sorry!"

She hisses at the unexpected pain, but doesn't flinch away, looking down at her shoulder with interest. Serena 's teeth are outlined clearly, fanglike. "Right. Don't bite my throat," she said with a surprised laugh.

She smiles sheepishly, "I did not know landlings skin was so thin. It is a good thing to know. "

"It is. Yours might be thinner, too, now..." She reached up to touch the welling blood, but seemed undisturbed. "Alright. Your biting areas are now limited to my shoulders and hips. Bony bits. And be gentle. I don't want to bleed out because my pulse is up," she laughed.

Serena nods. "I really enjoyed what you were doing before..." She moves her own hand to her inner thigh. Running it up like Anthea had done.

She smiles, eyes following her fingers, her shoulder settling into a pulsing ache. "Good. That was the point. Go ahead, see what you can do."

She lifts her hand and reaches for Anthea's thigh, following the same path that she had just done to herself. "How does this feel for you?" Stopping just before her finger graze her warm center.

Anthea takes a slow breath, smiling. "Good," she says softly, watching the Siren's face. She lets out a short huff of laughter, shaking her head a little. "Alright, enough toying," she muttered, reaching to push Serena back on the furs, hand on her chest, eyes meeting hers, glinting with amusement and something else. "I am going to make you feel good, and you are going to save that studious nature of yours for later, hm?"

"I.. .uh.. Yes, I suppose." She stutters not knowing what to expect. Serena was at the mercy of this landling yet again.

"So glad you agree," Anthea says with a hint of sarcasm. She tapped Serena 's sternum gently with a soft "Stay." before moving down her body, sliding both hands up between the Siren's legs and pushing them apart, settling on the furs between them. She leans down before Serena has too long to think, drawing her tongue slowly but decisively over the woman's core.

Serena jerks at the shock of feeling that jolts through her. "That is a.... What... hmm." She can’t form a thought as Anthea does it again.

She doesn't bother pausing, just starts to work slowly, tongue tracing pathways through her folds, simple patterns, just letting her get used to the feeling and relax a little.

Serena 's eyes close and she lays back. Her mind focusing on the feelings that were new to her. On her hips and breasts, her scales change again from their blues to deep purples and reds. At one spot of pressure, she gasps a breath, small grin crossing her lips.

Anthea notes the gasp with a smirk, loving the sound, and trails over the spot again for a moment before she slid her tongue downward, tip pressing against the siren's entrance again and then pressing inward slowly, giving her a chance to react.

A rush of wet touches Anthea's tongue and Serena sits bolt upright eyes glassy looking at the woman between her legs. "What..what was that?" She asks, a dark lustful gaze meeting Anthea’s.

Anthea pulls back for a moment, smiling crookedly, but she's carefully watching Serena 's face. She is used to debauching, had done it with more doe-eyed housewives and walled-in shopkeeps than she could count. But this level of innocence felt almost akin to cradle-robbing, and she was taking it slow. "That, lovely, was where the fun begins."

"Wh- what do you mean?" Serena stammers and looks Anthea in the eye before a pink blush rises in her cheeks; she is unaware why.

She raises an eyebrow, but Serena isn't pulling away, so she leans down, tracing her tongue downwards again and pushing into her with a little more power this time, less cautious approach and more answer to the question, the tip of her tongue hooking upward and dragging a bit as she removed it, before she repeated the action, still slow.

"Ah.. Untine!" Serena gasps and sinks back into the fur. Eyes fluttering. Fingers gripping at the bed.

She took that as a good sign and set reservation aside, her movements gaining a bit of speed and enthusiasm. She eventually withdrew her tongue to return it to the siren's exterior, long fingers sliding into her to take its place, curving and pressing, now deep, now soft and shallow.

When she slides her fingers in, Serena jolts again and gets lost in the feelings and spikes of sensations. She has no idea what to do with herself. So many new things racing around in an endorphin-muddled brain. She stops trying to understand and finally goes with what her body says it wants. Her teeth click shut and her eyes roll.

Anthea smiles as Serena starts to move with her a bit, hips shifting demanding when she removes pressure, seeking more, and she doesn't hold out. Her tongue circles the woman's clit rhythmically, keeping a steady, slow bass tempo as her fingers wrote out the melody, eyes occasionally straining up to admire the sight of the Siren lost above her.

Gasping for breath she managed to form a thought, "Anthea, what is... what.. ah god! I.." and then she screams and tension that had been rising in her gut releases. The sound is a pure note. Strong and beautiful all the while, her body shakes.

She guides her through her climax, grinning in victory, and is tempted to keep going, but they had both almost died today and she's leery of pressing too far. She pulls away slowly, letting Serena breathe, gather her wits a bit, decide what she wants.

Serena breath comes in ragged gasps and her eyes stay shut. After a few long moments she asks, "What.. was that?" Hands still gripping the furs, body still shaking with aftershocks

"That," Anthea said with a smug smirk, leaning up slowly and leaning over Serena , kissing her slowly before pulling away, "Is why humans like kissing."

"Oh..." is all she can manage to say at first. Then she pulls Anthea up and kisses her hard. "That was..." She shakes her head, "Again, this language barrier is bothersome."

She hums into the kiss, nipping the siren's lip gently as she pulls away, eyes sparking with a cacophony of feelings. "Did you enjoy it?"

"Mmhm" she nods slowly. "I did not know there was that for landlings." She licks her lip

She laughs, flopping sideways and stretching out, nodding and rubbing her jaw just a little. "Ohhh yes. There's a lot of that for landlings."

Serena leans over her, "I do not know much, yet, but to do what you just did... I want to repay you."

"That's generally the idea," she says with a smirk. "But there's no rush to it."

"No rush, are you sure?" Serena asks still a bit dazed.

She laughs. "I won't say no to anything you want to do, but I'm not going to push you."

"Perhaps, sleep could be done first? That was the initial idea." She lays back and wiggled into the furs.

She nods in agreement, laying back as well, closing her eyes. She is turned on, but she is used to that. Grifting meant many nights with marks who left her riled. This is a much more pleasant situation. "Good idea. You had a long day. Rest."

Serena closes her eyes and starts to relax. The warmth of the furs actually pulling her deeper down into sleep.

She watches the other woman drift off, admiring and replaying the last few minutes in her mind a few times, enjoying details, before she closed her eyes as well, drifting off.


	7. Four hunters and their prize

After some time, Serena wakes. The room is dark and the woman next to her is still asleep so she stays still, not wanting to wake her. She watches as Anthea sleeps for a short while, watching the rise and fall of her chest and the relaxed look on her face. Then, she slowly runs a hand up Anthea's leg from the knee to hip and back down again.

Anthea wakes immediately at the touch, eyes flashing open and locking on Serena 's silhouette, though the rest of her body remains still. She relaxes once she sees who it is, closing her eyes again.

Her fingers walk slowly up and down a few more times before she noticed that Anthea's breathing changed. she whispers, "I can stop. If it woke you up."

"If you stop," she says very softly, voice amused, "I would be very put out."

She grins in the dark."Then I will not." And keeps her hand moving. "You are soft here."

"Yes," she agreed, not sure how else to respond to that, taking a slow breath as cool fingers slid over a sensitive spot

"Are you soft here?" She asked and runs her finger in between. Putting a slight pressure just as she had felt when Anthea had done it.

She let out a startled huff of air, body tensing slightly at the touch, and opened her eyes again, looking down at the dimly-lit figure. "You tell me," she said quietly, a smile in her voice.

"Very." Is her reply, and she strokes it again. A mirroring smile on her face as well.

She shifts her hips just slightly, the light touch of the cool fingers making warmth kindle in her gut and her breath catch in her throat. "And what do you think of that?"

"Amazing." Serena says and pushes a little firmer on the next pass of her hand. "Is this right?" she shifts and leans over her. Then rubs circles. 

She bites into her bottom lip slightly, and nods before answering, "Yes... that's good..." She resists the temptation to guide the siren's hands. For the moment, exploration was the best option, no matter how eager she might be.

She keeps this up for a few more moments then moves her hands back up the Anthea's stomach. "I was not sure what else to do..." 

She makes a slight noise of protest when Serena moves her hand away. She sits up a little, reaching down to take it in hers and put it back between her legs, fingers shifting over the Siren's, positioning, guiding. "Like this to start," she breathes.

"Alright. Show me…" She rolls her fingers up and down then around with the guidance of the helping hand.

She closes her eyes, concentrating just on sensation, trying to let the siren have most of the control, just teaching where needed.

Serena moved her fingers to the damp space and slid one in slowly. Feeling around with interest and grinning.

Anthea let out a pleased noise, her hand sliding up Serena 's arm, gripping slightly, legs spreading just a little.

She pulls her finger out and then pushes back in again, curling the tip up to feel the soft damp skin inside. It had felt wonderful when Anthea hat touch her there. She wanted to do the same. The woman's hand gripped her arm tightly in response.

"Fuck..." Anthea breathed, rolling her hips down against Serena 's hand, chasing more. The siren was cool against her burning skin at every contact point, an odd contrast.

Serena stops and pulls back, "Was that not good?" she asks and waits as Anthea's body shudders. 

"No, no, that was very good," she says, eyes opening and reaching out to find Serena 's hand with hers again. "Keep doing that..."

"But, you did not use these..." Serena says and slips closer while she lifts Anthea's legs open more. Leaning in she mimics what was done to her. A hot breath escapes her mouth against Anthea's core.

"You don't nee-mh..." She huffs in frustration, opening her eyes and staring at the dark ceiling, half exasperated, half loving the tantalizing slowness.

A peel of laughter rings from Serena. She licks slowly, tasting the warm, soft skin. With a quick dart of her tongue she slides it in and around the sensitive spot that has Anthea making sounds she, herself was enjoying. 

Her hips jolt upward slightly at that, breath snagging hard in her chest as she grabbed Serena 's shoulder.

Serena smiles against her and pushes two fingers inside as her tongue circles around. Investigating and enjoying the taste of this wonderful woman and all the new sensations.

"You s-sure you haven't done this before?" she stammered, chest heaving a little bit as she rocked her hips upward.

With her mouth busy she just shakes her head and get a reaction from that as well. She likes having the power over someone like this without using her Song. It is different. Curling her fingers up again and rubbing she grazes her sharp teeth against the soft inner thigh flesh. Not biting.

She cries out, the pain of the teeth drawing her focus for a moment and cleansing her mental palette, making the rush of endorphins all the more overwhelming as she crashes back into them.

As Anthea cries out, Serena slows. She glances up to check in. "I can stop if I have done something incorrect." She says hesitantly

"Gods be damned, if you stop to ask me again, I'm going to smack you," Anthea hisses, shifting her hips impatiently. "I will specifically tell you to stop if you should."

The innocent siren blushes and nods then looks back down, her tongue going back down to the soft wet flesh and she sucked lightly as her fingers picked up the pace. 

"Much bet..." she started, but trailed off as Serena 's tongue did something that made her stomach flip and her fingers tense. She moved against the other woman, breaths quickening as she started to get close. "Do... do not stop..."

Serena can’t hold back a grin as she hears the same hitch in Anthea's voice that she had but hours ago. It was good. Anthea's hips bucked under her hand and tongue but Serena held on, pushing harder and deeper. Riding the wave of pleasure this woman was emitting.

She didn't bother trying to hold out, just let herself run straight up to the edge and jump off, muffling a yell behind clenched teeth as she arched and tensed, thighs shaking slightly, breathing stalled as she came.

When Serena felt the muscles around her fingers tense, then relax, she slowed and withdrew her tongue, giving one last lick.

She lay back on the furs, eyes closed, content to be a puddle for a few minutes, one hand absently reaching out to stroke Serena 's hair.  Anthea breaths slowly, her pulse eventually regaining something close to regularity, and she opens her eyes, glancing over at the siren and smirking. "You learn quick," she admits.

Serena lays down next to her quivering body and just watches the reactions of this landling. Had she looked like this as well after? She blushes at that thought. "You are a good teacher who doesn't let me give up." Serena smiles back at her.

Laughing quietly at that, Anthea reaches up to rub at her face a bit, sighing. "Well, good then."

Serena, grinning, moved to the water pitcher that was in the corner and poured a mug as she had seen both Anthea and Lyla do, turning and bringing it back to the bed.

Anthea watched her walk, eyeing the movements of her legs, wondering if she was still in pain. "So. What do you think of landling customs?"

"Some are very, very strange. and others....." she trails of, sitting down with a smug grin on her face and takes a sip of the water.

She sits up on her elbows, returning the grin. "Good. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

Serena hands the mug to Anthea and nods, "So far, minus the whole.. almost dying. "

She nods her thanks, taking a slow sip of the water, and tilts her head slightly, sighing. "I really am sorry."

"I understand. We were both to blame. It was both our faults. We will be more cautious the next time.”

Anthea nods. "I think we should keep working at it, but more slowly. As for the gala... I was thinking about it, and perhaps the thing to do would be to leave me in your control once you start singing. If you know the escape plan, there is no reason you can't just order me to do anything I need to."

"But you won't be able to do anything of your own will if something happens. is that not what you were afraid of? " she looks nervous

She sighs, nodding. "Yeah... Not the ideal plan, believe me. The other option is to bring Kerrick and have him deafen the two of us somehow before you sing. Not ideal either, but..." She shrugs, offering the water Serena 's way.

She takes it and drains the cup then puts it on the floor. "Would you like more sleep?" 

She shrugs. "If you're tired, go ahead. I'm energized now, I'll probably start working."

"You will not mind?" Serena asks as she lays down, eyes fuzzy with exhaustion still.

She shakes her head. "No, go ahead," she says, standing and pulling on a robe, heading for the desk

"What will you do? What work?" She pulls at the furs and snuggles into the comfort of the strange landling bed she was growing to love.

"Preparing for the gala," she said, pulling out a few pieces of paper. "Gathering the pieces from the others and consolidating things into a tight plan."

Serena drifts. "This is all.." she yawns, "very new. I have much to learn still.”

"Sleep," she says, glancing over at her with a grin. "You'll see more tomorrow."

Anthea works quietly through the night, occasionally getting up to seek out information from other areas, eventually climbing into bed in the early hours of the morning for a catnap.

Serena sleeps through the night and when Anthea climbs in she shifts uncomfortably and makes a face before falling back to sleep again.

She watches her move and smiles just slightly, before drifting off

There is a knock on the door. Then a pounding on it.

Anthea wakes immediately and stands, a knife in her hand from somewhere near the bed. "Who is it?"

"Really!" Says a muffled Lyla voice. "There is something odd happening up top. A few of Kerricks alarm spells went off."

She doesn't bother rolling her eyes, just throws on trousers and the nearest tunic and throws open the door, tucking the knife into her belt. "Let's go." 

Lyla nods and takes off toward the exit.

She follows just behind. "Has Kerrick got any information?"

"Just that a line of three went off about 500 feet from our doorstep and that it only goes off for sentient races. He finally got them to stop going off at every animal that walked through. The others have not gone off, so that is a plus. Whoever it is has stopped moving."

"Good," Anthea muttered. They reached the lower door, where Kerrick is waiting, and she paused. "I want eyes before we go up there... Kerrick, any chance?

"Working on it now boss," he says as he begins casting a spell

She nods, taking the knife out of her belt and turning it over in her hands slowly.

"Okay, you have about 10 minutes of cover, whoever is out there won't see you. That's all I got right now."

She nods, and slips through the door without further questions, moving up the stairs quietly and listening at the trap door for a second, before pushing it slowly open and sliding out, shutting it behind her.

Kylea is up top already, looking out one of the windows. Quietly she says, "Kerrick made the windows one way. We can't be seen."

Anthea nods, walking over. "Who is it?"

She shrugs, "don't know. Looks like hunters, might be a false alarm but...its doesn't seem right. They are avoiding the tree line like it's the plague."

She nods, taking in the figures standing central in their clearing. "Odd. Let's keep an eye on it for now, hold off on interfering."

There are 4 men dressed in hunting leathers and armed to the teeth with knives, axes and bows. They are looking around as if searching but not actually moving to search. And not a single one comes closer to the cabin.

Anthea taps her finger absently, watching. "I'm going to go find out what's going on," she said finally, walking for the door.

"Just, be cautious." Is all the tall fighter says as she holds on to the trident.

"Sure," Anthea chuckles, giving her a wink and stepping out the door, walking toward the men. When she speaks her voice is softer than usual, and a bit higher pitched. "Can I help you gentlemen?"

They turn, in unison. One of them has a hunting knife out but is holding it casually. The largest of the four speaks up."Good morning. It's a touch early for someone so lovely to be up."  The sun is in fact just cresting the horizon through the trees.

"Always been an early riser," she shrugs, smiling a little. "You look a touch lost for hunters."

"What's it to you, young lady?" Said another as he strings his bow.

She puts a hand on her hip, smiling a little. "I just thought maybe I could offer my services. I know this area well, and it would be my pleasure to assist such... fine, strong hunters as yourselves."

The large one says, "Well, that's mighty kind of you. We are looking for a rare creature. Hard to follow, harder to catch. Looks like we may have gotten a touch lost on the hunt. "

"What sort of creature?" she asks with a smile, tilting her head and walking forward slowly.

The guy with the knife flips it and says, "Wild, smaller than we originally thought. Wiley and..." he pauses, glancing at her, "Very attractive." He says, and throws the blade - missing by inches.

Anthea steps out of the way of the knife, her own hand drifting to the one hidden behind her back in her belt, but not drawing, not yet. She let a little fear enter her gaze. "Why... why did you do that? I'm happy to do whatever you like..."

The one with the bow snaps, "Cut the innocent act. You are worth a lot, alive or dead. And we want the money." 

The large man turns to the guy who threw the knife, "Don't! We don't know if this is her!" He turns. "Why don't you just invite us in and we can talk about this."

"I don't know what you're talking about..." she said, wide eyed, starting to back toward the house slowly. "I think you should leave..."  _ Get below, Kylea.... _

The fourth man, from behind her says, "You really were hard to find, Lillian. Lord Nelan wants his money back. Or you. It was our choice."

She shakes her head. "I don't know that name, my name is Rhea. I don't know who Lillian is..."

An arrow was nocked and a bow raised. "You will come with us, one way or another, girly." The one who threw the knife smiles and pulls another one off his belt.

"You make a compelling argument," she agreed, raising her hands very slowly. "Whoever this Lord Nelson is, he hired men who know their business."

"It's Nelan, you deceptive witch." Said the one behind her. She feels the tip of a blade on her spine.

She hissed, taking a slow breath, and when she exhaled her movements were quick. She reached back and grabbed the man's hair as she rolled to the side. The blade sliced her skin but she ignored it as she drew her own knife. She yanked the man around in front of her, knife pressing up under his throat at the same time as she got him between her and the archer. "Deceptive witch, now you're just being sweet..." she panted, knife pressing hard enough to draw blood, eyes on the others.

The three other men hold as she moves and the large one smiles, "That was very well done. You are fast and difficult to catch."

"You should write ballads," she shot back sarcastically. Her back was stinging angrily, and she could feel the warm seep of blood staining her tunic. "Why don't you fellows set down your weapons like good boys before I kill your friend here?"

The knife thrower huffs a laugh. "Friend? Think again girly, he's competition." And he throws his blade, landing dead center in the meat shield’s chest. The other two chance a glance and gape.  "What the hells!" The bow man says. The large one chimes in- "Fuck!"

She feels her shield stiffen and gurgle, and suddenly he's a lot heavier. She stifles a swear, watching the reaction of the other two, looking for ways to play them off each other. "What, you planning on doing that to them, too, once you get paid?"

"He was already dead. Don't try and play me bitch." He says and pulls another blade out.

"No use negotiating with a dead hostage. I wanted him alive as much as your other 'competition' there seemed to," she retorted, glancing at the archer as if to say 'can you believe this guy'?

Just then, the door of the cabin behind her opens, "Rhea?" Comes a soft voice from inside, and the smell of the ocean waves drifts out on a breeze. Serena steps out in one of Anthea's long tunics it barely covers her mid thigh. Her long hair is mussed and out of its braid. A low hum comes from her throat. It's subtle, but there, and it tugs the attention of the men to her. It does nothing to Anthea at first.

Anthea takes a slow breath, factoring in the new asset carefully. "Hello, dear... these gentlemen were just leaving."

"Are we?" Snaps the knife man, eyes still on the new woman. The bow dips down a few inches as the arm holding it drops its pull. Serena smiles, flashing sharp teeth and the large man draws his axe slowly. Serena 's hum becomes louder and a glaze begins in the men's eyes.

Anthea starts singing to herself quietly, trying to concentrate on her own music rather than Serena 's. She drops her meat shield finally, knife in hand, waiting for the right moment.

The bow goes down and the knife gets dropped too. The large man holds his ground for a moment longer than the other two but even his eyes glaze over. Serena looks at Anthea as if to say 'Any day now!' But takes a step forward as the wind picks up. The men step towards the beautiful woman in front of them.

Anthea moves quickly as the last man's eyes fog, and crosses the space between them. The knife moves quickly and precisely, and three bodies drop, necks split open like ripe melons.

Serena lets the last note float into the wind and then she sits. lips pursed, face white.

Anthea turns to look at her, closing her eyes to gather herself for a moment before she walked over to Serena. "You shouldn't have done that," she admonishes quietly, stooping slowly to put a bloody hand on Serena 's arm. Her back is numb.

Serena jolts but says nothing. They both know that she still has power in her voice. She looks at the blood with shock and her face goes whiter.

"Come on," she says quietly, standing slowly. "It's mostly theirs." She didn't actually have any idea how much was theirs, but they needed to move. "We need to get inside... Kerrick and Kylea can deal with the bodies."

She stands and takes Anthea's hand, letting the elf lead her back to the cabin.

They step inside, and the gang is all there. Nehemi steps forward immediately, and Anthea pushes Serena carefully toward him. "Kerrick, Kylea, deal with the bodies. Send them into the void, I don't care. Get them gone."

Serena shakes her head, pointing to Anthea's back and getting Nehemi to look at it. Kerrick and Kylea both leave the cabin to deal with the bodies.

Anthea watches them go, and hisses in surprises pain as Nehemi prods her back, her hand grabbing onto the wall and leaving a bloody smear.

Serena sits in a chair and holds her head in her hands. Quietly she says, "That was educational." Only the smallest bit of power flowed.

"How so?" Anthea asks, eyes closed as Nehemi puts his hands over her back and begins to pray quietly.

"I held my song back." Serena admits and pulls her hair forward to begin to braid it.

She leaned against the wall as Nehemi knit together muscle and skin, teeth grit. "How did that go?"

"I feel sick. How did it feel to you?" she asks as she watched the wound knit

"Better than before, but I had distractions," she said, taking as even breaths as she could manage.

"You have blood on..." she gestured to Anthea’s everything then puts her head in her hands.

"Most of it isn't mine," she murmured quietly, as Nehemi trailed off, the wound sealed. He shook his head. "A lot of it is. He nicked your anterior spinal artery. I'm shocked you didn't bleed out."

From her hunched position Serena says "I'm...going to be outside..." and stands, walking towards the cabin entrance as Nehemi finishes up.

"No." Anthea's voice is sharp. "Stay inside. Let Nehemi look at you."

She stops hand on the door, "Why? I am not hurt. "

"You just did something you have never done before. Stay near Nehemi."

She looks over the two of them and then walks out without another word. Outside the wind is still blowing, and the sun is coming up higher over the trees. Kerrick and Kylea are walking back through the clearing.

"Dammit..." Anthea mutters softly.

Kylea looks up as Serena comes out. "Alright?"

She nods and walks off to the large rock she had been on before. Taking a deep breath, away from everyone, she lets the pent up energy out. A wave of brine smell and ocean air rushes out from around her.

Kerrick finishes his prestidigitation spell and disappears the blood off of the grass, walks over to Serena, still murmuring the spell and cleaning some smears of red off of her arm from where Anthea had touched her.  She smiles her thanks but doesn't talk. Just lifts her eyes to the sky.  She had watched the act of innocence that Anthea had put on. And how everyone in the cabin had not been surprised. It worries her. Was it all an act all the time? Who was this woman?  Kerrick leaves her be when he sees she wants to be alone.

Anthea walks out a few minutes later, looking a bit healthier and cleaner, and in a fresh tunic. She walks over to where Serena is sitting. "Thanks for that."

"For what?" She asks as she is sprawled across the rock, eyes shut at the rising sun.

"For helping me. That was a rough situation." She leans against the rock.

Her voice softens. "It was..." she trails off

Anthea nods a little. "So I appreciate the help. Would have been a lot messier otherwise."

"Have you been honest with me?" She asks not looking at Anthea.

She frowns, confused. "What do you mean?"

"You changed, when you, walked out. And everyone was okay with it. I want to know if you have been putting on a.... False... I do not have the landling word for it. Who have I been talking to and learning from?" She asks all this without looking at her or sitting up.

She raises an eyebrow. "I'm a grifter, Serena. That's what I do. I change personalities. It's my gift. You have been talking to and learning from me. From Anthea."

"What you did to those landling men...was..." she shivers. "It was brutal. And surprised me."  She sits up finally. "I trust you. That is something you should not waste. I do not give it lightly."

Eyebrow still raised, studying the siren. "Sounds an awful lot like you don't trust me," she points out. "It's alright. I'm used to it after people see me grift for the first time. Takes them a while to get used to. As for killing them... You sing a song that lures sailors to drown themselves. Let's not get too pretentious."

"I do. Trust you, that is, that is what I needed to decide, and I have. you did what you had to do. I do not care about what you did to those men, and as for my skills, I do not understand what Pretentious means but, I do it because I have to. No other reason but that." She slides off the rock. looking over the woman in front of her.

Anthea nods a little. "That's what I meant. You do what you have to, so do I. Come on, let's get inside. I know you like it out here, but we don't know if they had friends in the area."

Sighing, she follows as Anthea walks back into the cabin. saying goodbye to the sky and the open air with a look up.

They go back down below, leaving the cabin as they found it. Lyla is the last below, and her spikes are raised, clearly agitated. "How did they find us?" 

Anthea shook her head. "They didn't find us. They had no idea we were down-" 

"They were standing outside! They weren't leaving. They clearly knew something."  Kerrick chimes in, "Maybe they really did track you from the beach or something. Did you do anything in the town or city to get their attention?" the group moves out of the hall and into the Common room.

"Of course I didn't, Kerrick, it's me," Anthea shot back. 

Lyla scoffed. "You aren't perfect, you could have-"  "You don't think I would have noticed being followed?!"  "Well, you were a little distracted by your new piece of tail- literally!"

Serena pales at that idea but says nothing. Kerrick says, "I will look over everything we snagged from Lord Nelan and see if there is something I missed, magic-wise. You all gave me everything, right? " he shoots a look at Lyla.

Lyla glared at him. "Of course I did, I'm a thief, not a jackass." 

Anthea sighed. "Alright, everyone, just calm down, okay? We're fine. Kerrick, look over the Nelan take. Lyla, Kylea, go scout the area and report back. I want to know if someone is nearby. Check in hourly or we'll assume trouble. Nehemi, go take a nap. You need it, we may need healing later."

They all agree and leave to get the jobs done. Serena sits slowly in a chair as she watches Anthea.

Anthea sighs, watching as the room clears out, and pushes a hand through her hair. She felt energized. The kills were fresh in her mind, which was now wandering back to Serena. She was a new power source, and this first test had gone remarkably well. They would have to see how well they worked together from here. She walked over to sit next to Serena. "How are you feeling?"

"You have to stop asking that." she smiles, "If I feel off I will tell you. I went out and dealt with it. I am fine now." Answering a bit curt.

"It's my job to ask that," she said with a chuckle. "I keep everyone else on track. That's what I do."

"You do a lot." Serena whispers as she watches the fire in the hearth. The light burns her eyes after a moment and they begin to tear. 

"Everyone does a lot around here. It's kinda the game, you asked before what you could do?" she said, laying back with a sigh. "You saw today what you can do. I want you to work on that. Make it stronger. As for what else... I don't know. We'll let you help with the others, find out if you have a knack for anything in particular."

"Alright, I will try, but I think it will be better if you can leave me be for a bit, maybe down in the pool of water. So I can sing and not worry about influencing anyone. Unless you want me to sing to them." Serena smiles jokingly.

She shakes her head. "No, I don't want you to sing to them. That's fine. Do whatever you need to. I don't want to scare them any more. They're still nervous about you. Let them see you sing to our enemies a few times before you sing to them again," she says gently.

The sirens smile drops. "Do you really think that I would scare them?"

She sighs. "It isn't a bad thing, pet, it's always this way with new people. You were afraid when you saw what I can do. They know how to resist me. With you, they wouldn't have a choice. You could sing, and they could die without even knowing they were doing it. That's frightening to some people."

"It would be terrifying for anyone I would think. But, perhaps you are right." she pauses, giving her a odd look, "What is Pet?"

"Not to me, but that's because I'm crazy," she said with a chuckle. "They'll come around, give it time. And it's an endearment. Like love, or darling."

"That is...pleasant? I think. Would you like to come train some more today? Should I look for you at some point?" Serena stands.

Anthea nods a little. "Some more, yes. Less than before, obviously. For now, go sing.

She walks away and down to the bathing pool. The tub is still full of salt water and she is tempted to dip a finger in, but resists it and moves to the other large steaming pool of water.

She watches her go, then sighs, leaning back and closing her eyes. Her back still throbs slightly, the muscles knotting in protest to the magic that had coursed through them. A minute later though, she stood, and went off to find her people. They still had a gala to plan for.


	8. One, Two, Three, and...

Serena has been at it for hours, trying to sing to herself. learning the notes that could be sung soft and low in a hum and then switching to loud and long. She is sitting next to the water taking a break at the moment. the sounds of her song still echo off the stone walls.

Anthea opens the door to the caverns carefully, and hears the semi-silence. She walks down the stairs, closing the door behind her, and nods to Serena a little. "How goes it?"

“We-Ell" her voice cracks and she blushes, clearing her throat.

She laughs a little, walking over to stroke fingers through the siren's hair. "Don't give yourself a meek throat, I need you for the gala tomorrow night."

"I will be fine, I just need some water. Which is a strange idea to me still- this gala, is tomorrow night?" She gives a worried face.

She nods. "Yes. Which is why I came to get you. Lyla has a dress ready that she wants to fit to you."

Serena gives a blank face. "What else do I need to learn to do for this gala..?"

"Dance, probably. Other than that... not much." She offers her a hand up.

"Dance?" She asks confused and takes her hand, wincing at her stiff legs and back.

She helps her up, holding her a moment to help her stay steady. "A ritual of sorts that landlings perform at parties."

"A what?" she is very confused now but walks to the stairs that lead up, letting Anthea go first.

"We move our bodies in time to music," she explains, smiling as they ascend. "Most often two landlings will dance as a pair."

Confusion is settled on her face as if it would never leave. Finally Serena shakes her head, "You are going to have to show me, I suppose"

She nods, opening the door and motioning Serena to go through.

"Where are we going? I do not know much of these halls." She steps out into the hall of stone and earth.

"We're going to storage, it's this way," she said, pointing to the right (which was further than they had gone before). "Lyla has a corner set up as a sewing room."

"Does she do this thing called sewing well?" as they walk down the hall she slides her hand into Anthea's to see her reaction. Physical touch is still foreign to her.

Anthea smiles slightly at the hand in hers, gripping it gently. "Yes. She's good at it. Hates it, but she's good. Her mother was a seamstress."

"There is so much I do not understand in what you just said. How am I going to be able to pull off any conversation?” Serena looks down to their hands, “Is this a good thing? You seem happy at my action." She squeezed her hand a bit as Anthea just had.

"I'll say you're a foreign ambassador. You have an accent, it will be passable. Just tell them you have strange customs there. And yes. This is a good thing." She chuckles.

" I have an accent? What does that mean?” Serena was getting more and more confused as they spoke.

"Yes," she says with a nod. "The way you talk is, not funny but, different. Different enough to be from far away."

"How do I sound?" she asks, interested, as they walk into a storage area with lots of boxes and things covered up.

"You hold your 'm's and 'n's longer than we do. Sort of a hum. Your 's's are sharper... Almost a click. Everything is just a little more... crisp. Aggressive. My guess is so that you can be heard clearly below water."

" I don't use my voice when I am under the water. Not the same way I do above. and I sound aggressive? As in...attacking? Is it, Distressful?" She asks, worried

"No, not distressing,” answers Anthea, shaking her head. "Refreshing."

"Refreshing? how so?" They walk to a corner where Lyla is hunched over a sewing table.

Lyla looks up, and sits back, stretching. She eyes the two of them for a second, then smirks. "Kylea! Get your ass in here," she calls. Anthea raises an eyebrow, opening her mouth, but Lyla holds up a finger for her to wait. 

Kylea pokes her head around a box a moment later. "You rang?" she says dryly. Lyla points to Anthea and Serena , smirking. Kylea glances over, looks them up and down, her eyes settling for a moment on the clasped hands before they turn to Serena. Then she swears blackly and reaches into her pocket, walking over and tossing three gold in front of Lyla. 

"Thaaank you. Tell Nehemi and Kerrick they can pay up before dinner," Lyla calls to her retreating back.

" What...was that about?" Serena asks confused for the trillionth time that day.

"I won the bet. I said she'd have you by the second night. Only reason I didn't say first was because Nehemi got there before me." Anthea rolls her eyes. "Very cute. Don't you have a dress?"

"Should I be...insulted? Had me?" The siren tilts her head and drops Anthea's hand.

"Ignore them, they're being crude," Anthea says quietly, walking forward and running a hand over the deep turquoise material on the table. It was a close color match for Serena 's scales.

"Crude…Wha-" she walks up next to Anthea, hand reaching out to feel the fabric, "This color, its like water in the sun..." she sounds amazed.

Lyla nods. "It seemed your sort of color. We got it from a haul a few months back. Some jackass merchant. Remember him, Anth? The one we sent Nehemi after." Anthea laughed. "Yeah. That was a disaster..."

"Can you match any colors?" she asks still running her hand over the smooth fabric and thinking about her scale colors.

"Not any, but we've got a decent selection here. If I can't match it I can complement it. If I can't do either I can steal something that will," she said, smiling crookedly.

"That is wonderful… Could you match these?" she lifts her top to show her mid-drift and the scales that line both her hips angling downward. They are a deeper color then the fabric and shimmer slightly in the lantern light.

She leans forward, eyeing the scales curiously, then sits back and stands, heading down a false hall of crates. "Let's see what we have, come on."

Serena follows a step behind the short Kolbald, looking around at all the things around her.

Lyla pulled out a crate with a blue stripe on it from a shelf and put it in front of Serena . "Here. All the blues. Start looking."

Her jaw drops as she looks at the different blues and finds one that matches almost perfectly. She grins and her visible scales flush a lighter green then back to normal.

Anthea smiles and trails fingers up Serena 's spine absently. "That's lovely."

"I have never seen that color before, or the other one you made me change before either. And thank you?" she blushes.

"What color, exactly?" she asks curiously.

"The color that it just flashed...or the one from… earlier…" she blushes lightly at the memory.

She laughs. "I wonder why you're so rainbow all of a sudden. What are your normal colors?"

"We change, Like the octopus and some of the ocean life. I'm mostly this color when relaxed." she points to the crystal blue, turquoise of the fabric in her hands.

Anthea smiles a little. "I look forward to exploring more of those reds with you, then," she chuckles, offering the woman a hand up. "For now, though, a dress." She pulls Serena to her feet, and they head back toward the corner, Lyla on their heels carrying a few more swatches of cloth in various colors. "Alright. Measurements then you leave. I want to get this done."

"What do I need to do for…measurments?" She stops at the table that they had be at before.

"Just stand still," she said, grabbing a ball of string with marks at regular intervals and starting to measure Serena's arms.

She stands there looking around at the area. "What is in this place?" arms outstretched awkwardly.

"It's where we store the take before it gets distributed," Lyla said distractedly. 

Anthea clarified. "The things we steal, we store here. At least until we can get them to our people."

"You have more in your pod? What do you give them? Everything? " she turns as Lyla moves her left or right. Lifts an arm.

"A few," Anthea said, leaning against the wall. "People who fence for us, get goods sold, translated to coin. We don't see them often."

"Ah..." she nods sort of understanding and finally steps away as Lyla says she is done.

"Yeah. Gotta get paid," Lyla says with a snort. "We don't do this for fun. Well, she does, but she's crazy." 

Anthea rolled her eyes. "Uhuh. Whatever you say. Let's go." She headed out.

"Where do we go next?" She asks following Anthea but turning back to the table, "I am grateful for your help in this." she says to Lyla. Lyla nods, already spreading out fabric for marking. "You're welcome."

Anthea glances at Serena . "When was the last time you ate?"

Serena gives a guilty look at Anthea as she turns back to the woman.

She raises an eyebrow, and sighs. "Come on. Food."

"To be fair, I am not use to eating as much as you landlings do. It is something I must get use to still. "

"How often do you normally eat?" she asks curiously.

"Uh... when I get hungry. I guess. Once every few tides." She shrugs. "I dont keep track really. I am not really hungry now but I will not say no to eating.”

She nods a little, heading for the kitchens. "Landlings eat about once a tide during the day... I think. You don't have to eat every time we do, but your body is more landling than siren now, so..." She shrugs.

"If it pleases you, I will eat." She walks into the kitchen behind Anthea.

"It would please me," she confirms, stepping into the kitchen. "What do you feel like having?"

"Something new. I want to try things. Even the fruit was a learning experience. Even as unpleasant as it was." Serena smiles sweetly

She nods in agreement, thinking for a moment before grabbing flour and a bowl, starting to pull ingredients together. "You seem to like new things."

"I do not want to waste my time. I will be in deep trouble when I go home. I want good memories." She pulls a loose strand of hair over her shoulder and starts to braid it.

She starts heating a pan, and looks over. "When you go home... when is that, exactly?"

"I, I don't know."she watches as Anthea moves around the kitchen getting things and heating a large hard surface with a handle. "What are you doing?"

"Making a skillet cake. Hot bread. You'll like it." She grabbed some cheese and oil from a shelf.

"Might I have some of that as you work?" Serena motions to the cheese in Antheas hand., her mouth watering.

She laughs, but hands over that chunk and grabs another, heading for the bowl and mixing in water, oil, and eggs. "Do you miss it?" she asks, walking over to pour batter into her hot pan.

"Miss it?" She questions and nibbles on the chunk of cheese, grinning. "You mean the water?"

"The water, your aunts, your people," she says, watching the bread begin to cook, and grabbing a grater for the cheese, starting to sprinkle it into the dough.

"I, I don't really. Not all that anyway, I miss the call of the ocean. The current and the creatures. But, those will be there." Setting the cheese down, Serena thinks on that.

Anthea nods a little, walking over to grab some cured sausage and returning to the bread, breaking bits off and pressing it into the cheesy mixture. "Well, you're wanted here for as long as you're willing to stay."

"I will stay for a while more. You need my help after all. Or at least you say you do." She grins. "That smells wonderful."

Smiling at that, Anthea takes the pan off of the heat and walks over to the table. She flipped it over, and the bread dropped out onto the table neatly, a crispy, oil-sheen crust over the top. She set the pan aside and grabbed her knife, cutting the large circle in half. "There. Try that. Careful, it's hot."

She reaches for it, and pulls her hand back, "Hot!" She sticks her finger in her mouth.

"Yes...." she said, raising a slow eyebrow and smirking. "That's why I said 'It's hot'." 

Serena stuck her tongue out in a mimic of what she had seen Anthea do before and scrunched her eyes.

She laughs at the somewhat awkward expression, leaning over to kiss Serena lightly before turning away to get wine.

"I tried that," she says as Anthea grabs the wine. "Lyla gave me some. It was...unique"

She nodded, coming over with the flagon and a couple of cups. "It's different than water, that's for certain. How much did Lyla give you?"

"Not a lot, perhaps, half of that." She points to the cup. "And she said to drink it slow."

She nodded, smiling a little. "Take it with the bread, a little more this time. I'm interested to see if it will affect you." She poured them both a generous glass and sat down.

She takes a bite of the cooled down bread and chew slowly, then grins, "This is wonderful. " She takes another bite and hum a note of pleasure at the warm, sharp flavor.

She sits back, sipping her wine and closing her eyes for a moment, a second of relaxation, before she set it aside and broke off her own piece of the dense bread.

Serena takes a sip from the cup and rolls the flavor around in her mouth. Swallowing she smiles at Anthea again, "You have a lot of strange but wonderful flavors on land."

"Food is important," Anthea said, nodding. "We make an art of it."

Changing the topic, "How are we going to teach me to do this dancing thing?"

Anthea smiles. "The wine is a good first step. But then I'll show you steps, and you'll follow along."

"Why the wine?" She asks, confused, and takes a bite followed by another sip.

"Alcohol has special effects on landlings. This will be mild, I think, but it should be relaxing.

"I’m not sure I understand, I am relaxed now. Why would I need to be more so? " she downs the cup then takes another bite.

"It's a different sort of relaxed," she said with a shrug, munching on the bread. "You'll see."

She mimics Anthea's shrug and pushes the cup towards her. "What is it going to do? Or better yet, what does it do to landlings beside relax?" Nervousness obvious on her face.

"It affects everyone differently," she said, downing her own glass and filling both once more. "But it makes us... more intense, I suppose. Happier or sadder, or more adventurous, less reserved."

Serena nods, "I guess I will just have to see." She doesn't drink this one as fast. Remembering what she had felt like the last time, she did not want to chance anything.

She nods, finishing her section of bread and sitting back, sipping her wine slowly. "Alright... dancing. It will be difficult to learn without music, but not impossible."

"Why would we not have this music thing?" She takes the last few bites of the bread and finishes her glass of wine.

"Because someone would have to...." She sighed. "Listen, just trust me on this. Maybe when Nehemi wakes up he'll play for us. But until then we'll have to do without, come on. We need space. Common room."

"Alright.” She slides off the chair she is in. Her head spins a bit, maybe she should not have had the whole cup this time. She follows Anthea and thinks to herself, maybe this will be something I can do well.

They step into the empty common room, and Anthea shoves a few chairs out of the way to make a large clear space in the middle. She turned to Serena , and smiled, extending a hand. "Come here."

Stepping forward Serena takes Anthea's hand and waits.

Anthea takes her other hand as well. "Alright. First thing is the feet. Watch mine and follow the pattern."

She looks down to watch her as she had requested. Her feet moving a bit back and forth.

She steps slowly, waiting for Serena to follow each move as she does so, moving them carefully around the room.

"This is very strange. What kind of... dance... is this?"

"It's called waltzing," she says, still moving them. "Or at least, this is the footwork for it. Just work on getting the pattern for now. We'll add rhythm in a moment."

She nods and follows Anthea around the room a few more times. Then stops as she realized, "There is a pattern to this, and a flow, like the ebb of the water. "

"Yes," she says with a nod. "Very much so. The smaller movements are like the waves, and our travelling across the ground is like the current."

"I understand this, it's like a song I have never heard before but I still know the meaning behind the words." She grins and take Anthea's hand again.

She smiles, shifting the hand to her shoulder and taking the woman's waist. "Alright, again." And Anthea starts moving again slowly.

"Why do you hold me here? But my hand is there?" She asks then takes a misstep and stumbles over her own feet.

Anthea steadies them both. "It's the formal way to dance. Typically a man will put his hand at your waist, and you put your hand on his shoulder. So I'm pretending to be the man so you get proper practice. A few will probably ask you to dance at this thing and you may need to."

"That was going to be my next question. What will you be doing? And everyone else?" She asks curiously as they begin again

"I'll be with you," she says, pulling them into a playful spin. "Lyla will be tracking us from the rafters and crawl ways as support. Kerrick, Nehemi, and Kylea will be outside, ready to mount a rescue if needed."

She laughs as she spins and her body flows easily into it. "My legs do not hurt as much now. This could be rather enjoyable if it was not like stepping on glass every third or fourth step." She looks down to her bare feet. Sighing.

She tilts head slightly, stopping and stepping back. "What do you mean?" she asks curiously.

"Exactly what I said. It hurts to walk. I am guessing that is because I have not done much of it. But they still hurt."

She frowns. "Sit," she suggest gently. "Let me look at your feet, make sure nothing's wrong."

She shrugs and sits in one of the large chairs. Lifting her leg to place her foot in Anthea's hand. The skin is soft and tender pink like a baby's soft flesh. Her toes are normal length but a small webbing branches from each at the base of the foot. And she has a run of small scales along the inner arch.

Anthea smooths her thumb over the bottom of Serena 's foot gently, careful to use enough pressure to avoid tickling her, looking for damage.

She winced once or twice at the balls of her feet as well as the heel as Anthea presses on them.

"You've got bruises, I think," she says gently, sitting back. "Your feet are bigger than mine, but I think we have some boots in storage that would fit. Give me a minute, alright?"

"Boot?" she asks and pulls her foot away to look at it herself. “What is a boot?”

"A foot covering. Like what I wear when we go outside." She stood and headed for the hall. "I'll be back soon."

Serena sits, a smile on her lips and her head fuzzy. Of all the strange things that landlings did, she liked dancing. It made sense to her.

She returns a few minutes later with a pair of soft brown leather boots, and sets them in front of Serena before holding out a pair of stockings. "Here... Try these."

She takes the stocking and puts them on like Anthea had shown her when trying on clothes. then slips her sore feet into the boots. "How do I secure them?" She asks

"Like this," she says, starting to do up the buttons along the sides.

"This is very strange." She admitted, wiggling her toes inside the boot.

She finished buttoning the boots, and sat back. "There," she said, nodding. "They're lined with fur so they should be softer to walk on."

She stood up and took a step. Tripped a bit and caught herself on Anthea. "They are heavy."

She nods a little, grip solid as she keeps the siren up. "Yes, they'll feel strange. I imagine you'll need to switch between these and bare feet until your legs get stronger. But you'll need to wear some sort of shoe tomorrow, so you may as well practice in these."

"Would it not make more sense to practice in the shoe I will be wearing? And do you have something lighter?" Serena asked.

She sighed. "Lighter, yes. More comfortable, no. I don't want to hurt your feet more. But come on, we'll go down to storage and see if we find anything you like. Maybe some soft sandals."

"Not just yet..." She stops, rests her hand on Anthea's arm, "I want to keep doing this dancing."

She smiles and nods, sliding her hand along Serena 's hip and gripping a little. "Alright, let's dance, then."

The siren nods and follows the other women in step, tripping a few more times but finally, starts flowing through the movements with little effort.

They move gracefully around the floor for a bit, and eventually Anthea begins to hum quietly, a song to match their movements, throwing in spins and dips now that Serena was getting the hang of things.

She laughs at the spin but stops them after a few minutes. Breathing hard at the excitement. "That...that was.. enjoyable!"

She smiles, bending to kiss Serena 's neck before stepping back. "And that was just a waltz. You learned quickly."

"Water? My head spins." She begs playfully, smiling, and sits down hard in a chair.

Anthea nods a little. "That will be the wine. Do you want to drink it or sit in it?" she asked, smiling a little, though her eyes were closed off.

"Drinking it I believe will suffice. And how would the wine make my head spin?" Serena lays her head back against the chair.

"Like I said, it has interesting effects. It can alter your balance, your judgement, your coordination..."

"Hhmmm..." Her attention drifted to Anthea's face, her flushed cheeks, bright eyes and soft lips. She smiles sweetly and her eyes that are slightly glassy, move down Anthea's neck.

"Ah..." Anthea says, chuckling a little and reaching out, pulling the other woman up and closer this time, body pressed against hers as she starts to dance again, a bit more slowly and fluidly this time. "Congratulations. You're a bit drunk."

"What are you...talking about?" She spins in Anthea's arms slowly. She really loved this landling custom of touching so frequently.

"Does your head feel fuzzy?" she asked, a hand trailing up the siren's spine.

"Mm.. yes. That is a good way to describe it." She shivers at the movement of the hand.

"That's called being drunk, dear. And if you don't do something active, you're going to get sleepy. Less fun, I promise."

"What do you...suggest?" She asks and throws her arms onto Anthea's shoulders, fingers locking behind her head.

"Oh, we could do anything, really..." she murmurs, smiling. "Keep dancing..." She rolled her hips forward against Serena playfully. "Go for a walk... should be dark enough to be safe now.... Soak in the spring..."

"A walk would be wonderful. I really like the rock out there and...the trees and the....other..things.." She rambles slightly, not knowing the names of things yet. Her hands cling to Anthea with mild drunken excitement.

She smiles and nods. "Alright. Come on then, let's go outside." She shifts away, sliding an arm around Serena 's waist and heading for the door.

She grins and lets the woman lead her out, catching one of the stairs as she lifts a foot but regains her balance quickly.

Anthea keeps her close as they walk up the stairs, just in case she falls, but they reach the top without incident and she pushes the trapdoor open, stepping out into the house.

Serena breathes a sigh and her grin gets wider. "You are wonderful."

She laughs, helping her up through the hole. "I'm glad you think so. Come on, I bet the night sky looks different on land."

She opens the door and looks out. "So pretty," Serena laughs musically.

Anthea steps out into the cool night air and taking a slow breath, senses on high alert.

"Where do we go from here?" Serena asks, and steps outside, spinning once in the open space.

She closes the door behind them. "Into the forest, I think. It's safe enough around here, and you should see the trees when you're awake."

"When I’m awake?" she asks, taking Anthea’s hand, confused by the comment.

"Last time we walked through the forest, you were asleep on my back," she points out with a chuckle.

"Ah... I remember." She tugs at her hand, going faster towards the trees.

She smiles and follows behind her at an easy pace, taking in the smell of pine as they enter the trees.

"What is that smell?" she asks like a small child full of amazement

"Some of the trees make it," Anthea explains. "It's one of my favorite smells.”

"But what is it?" she asks again and moves to a tree to touch its bark.

"The blood of the tree," she said, trailing her fingers over a trunk as well. "Called sap."

Serena’s hand jerks back, "Its...Its bleeding?" her face falls and she looks like she is about to cry.

"No! No, it's supposed to. It lets some out on purpose, it is not wounded," she said reassuringly, reaching out to put a hand over Serena's.

"Okay, I don't think I like this being drunk. It makes me say things without thinking about them first." She turns to face Anthea with her hand still on the tree

"You get used to it. Sometimes it's quite useful," she says gently. "Just relax, alright?" She rubbed her thumb over the inside of Serena 's wrist.

"Yes, Alright. " she closes her eyes, her senses are heightened and her nerves are on end. The rubbing on her wrist felt nice.

She smiles at that, bending to kiss Serena slowly, playfully.

She pulls back, "What was that for?" She asks, her mind blurry.

She shrugs. "You are lovely. I wanted to. Is that not alright?"

"No it is fine, I... you are not drunk, are you?" she is right up against Anthea now and doesn't seem to notice the whole personal space thing.

She smiles, her hands sliding around Serena 's waist, spinning slowly until the Siren's back is pressed to the tree, resting her hands on either side of her. "No, not very, anyway."

"But...you had just as much as I did. " The bark at her back scrapes at her shoulders and back through the thin top and it sets her nerves tingling. Her eyes flutter at the sensation. "My skin feels like its...I can feel everything. " She places a palm on the trunk, moving it slowly. Enthralled in the feelings

"You develop a tolerance for it," she says quietly, leaning in to kiss the siren's bared throat. "It takes more to get you drunk."

"Oh..." was all she could think to say as the feeling of the woman's lips traced her neck. It left a tingle on the spot and her mind blank.

She grinned victoriously and nipped Serena’s neck a bit, teeth scraping as she pressed her hips forward slowly.

Serena backs up against the tree as Anthea pushes against her and her eyes close. "What, I mean... Why.. why does that feel so... It is... hmmm" she can't seem to get her brain to form any kind of words as chills roll down her spine.

"What was that, dear?" Anthea asks softly in her ear, nipping again.

"I don't... know. That feels very... nice," Serena says softly as her chills continue.

"That is the hope," she agrees, leaning back to look at her.

Serena’s hand and back are still pressed up against the bark, the rough texture cutting into her soft flesh. "Why is that so nice?"

"I don't know," she chuckles, reaching out to card her fingers through Serena's hair. "It just is."

She nods simply and opens her eyes to look at the woman in front of her. Her eyes are still glassy. pupils blown out. "You want to do things to me again. I know it." She nods, then just realizes what she had said and blushes.

Anthea laughs outright then, eyes sparkling with amusement. "You got that right."

"Alright then." Serena caught the half-elf’s gaze.

Anthea raises an eyebrow, leaning forward to kiss her again, her thigh pressing between the siren's legs and rolling slowly.

She gasps at the contact and her body presses farther into the tree at her back. Mumbling against Anthea's lips, she says, "Is this a suitable location for this?"

"Anywhere is a suitable location if you are apathetic enough to intrusion," she retorted, nipping the bottom of her lip.

"And... and you are?" She asks and her brain goes a bit fuzzy again.

"Always," she chuckles, sliding a hand under Serena 's tunic to find bare skin.

She arches at the hand under her covering and smiles. “That feels so strange. I think... your wine has an odd effect on my kind. "

She laughs. "That is possible," she agrees softly, tracing patterns slowly with her fingers. "Does it feel bad?"

"Oh, Untine, no! Not at all." She pushes her hips off the tree and against Anthea, "It feels wonderful."

Anthea grins, and pushes Serena's tunic further up her body, bending to kiss along her stomach, tracing tongue over scales.

A small whimper escapes her lips and her scales turn the deep purple color again.

She smiles at the color, brushing her fingers over the scales for a moment before sliding fingers beneath the waist of Serena 's skirt.

Serena lets go of the tree and leans hard against Anthea. "Kiss me again. I like the tingle it leaves." Then she blushes again at the brashness of what she said.

"See, you're starting to get it," she smirks. "I'll make a proper debaucher of you yet." She leaned in then, complying, kissing with a bit of roughness, a touch of possession.

Serena is about to ask what that meant but was cut off by lips, Forceful and soft at the same time. Both her hands leave the tree and rest on Anthea's hips. her nails digging in slightly.

Anthea is tempted to nip but wary of the damaging retort that might follow when Serena wasn't fully sober, so she keeps her teeth to herself, her fingers tracing cool lines down between Serena 's leg, the band of her skirt sliding up her wrist.

The sirens legs go weak and she begins to slide down at the touch on such sensitive skin.

"Ah ah... Stay up," she chuckles, her hand finding Serena 's chest and pinning her against the tree, friction doing a bit to keep her there.

She stands up. "So sorry," she murmurs, leaning against the tree and grinning sheepishly

She shakes her head, smiling, her fingers sliding through the woman's heat slowly. "Don't apologize...."

"I.. oh!!" she gasps at the feeling of fingers and it takes everything she has to stay upright. Her nerves firing and going into overdrive.

Anthea slides an arm between her and the tree, hauling Serena against her for support and bracing her other hand against her thigh, giving herself a little leverage as she ground her palm against the siren's core.

"An...Anthea.. Sto, stop, Its too..." her legs finally crumple under her and she falls forward, landing on top of the woman.

She staggers back with a laugh, bending her knees to catch their weight and cushioning the siren on top of her as they fell. She paused, smiling up and her and giving her an opportunity to gather herself. "Alright there?"

Breathing heavy she nods and rests her head on Anthea's chest. "I was not prepared."

"Take your time," she murmurs, hands still for the moment.

She places a knee in between Anthea's legs and shifts. "Like this?" she asks and slowly puts her weight into it and the warm center.

She takes a slow breath, head tilting back, eyes on the stars peeking through the trees. "Yes..."

With rosy cheeks, she rubs again and again. Her glazed eyes watching for reactions.

Anthea lets out a soft moan, rocking her hips upward slowly against the motion, breaths slow, purposeful.

Serena stops and relaxes her body. A small sound of pleasure escapes her lips. She loved watching Anthea enjoy her touch.

Anthea opens her eyes a moment later, and smiles. "Tease," she mutters, leaning up to kiss the other woman again.

"Tease?" She looks confused and not following the meaning.

"It's a good thing. Means you're building anticipation," she said with a small smile.

"Oh... alright..." Serena smiles. "This has been a lovely walk it the trees."

She laughs. "We can get back to walking, if you like," she offers.

"I fear my legs are tired from dancing." She looks down at Anthea's body, following the curves with her eyes. "And my thoughts are still muddy from your wine. I am thinking not very proper thoughts."

She raises an eyebrow. "Improper thoughts are my favorite thoughts."

"Why is that?" The siren asks, and rolls off the woman to sit next to her.

"Because they tend to lead to much more entertaining adventures than proper thoughts do," she said with a knowing grin, looking up at the stars through the leaves.

"I must remember that...” Serena leans in for another of the kisses that she was beginning to love.

Anthea smiles a little, her hand sliding down to interlace fingers with Serena 's. "Do."

The moonlight shines in Anthea's eyes and Serena gets lost in them momentarily. She blinks and then asks, "How far from the shore are we?"

"About three miles" she said, looking up. "About.... a sixth of a tide's worth of walking. I think."

She frowns, "That's a while away."

She nods. "You slept through most of it."

"That must have been difficult for you to carry me that far." She doesn’t quite understand the distance but tries.

She shrugs. "Took breaks. We all train. If Kylea goes down in a fight I need to be able to carry her out. Any of them out."

"I guess that makes sense." She traces waves designs on Anthea's arm, her vision floating a bit.

"It was farther than we usually do, by quite a bit, but it was alright." She relaxes under the touch.

Completely changing the topic, Serena asks “How many names do you have?" She moves her tracing finger to the woman’s middle.

"Hmm?" Anthea asks distractedly, eyes closed.

Serena laughs musically, "How many different landlings are you?" She repeats.

She looks over, then shrugs. "I don't know. I've lost count. I have them all written down somewhere, in case they would come in handy."

"That would be a dangerous thing to lose." She says and rests her palm flat on Anthea’s stomach.

Anthea glances at her sharply, evaluating the intent of that statement, before slowly relaxing again. "They aren't all in one place. I'm not that foolish."

"Good, that is good, I really like you." She grins and blushes then continues, "I would swim with you. My aunts be sunk." 

She glances at the siren. "Now I am the one who has no idea what you are saying. But thank you."

"I guess you could call it a dance. It’s a courting, of a sort." She smiles, hand slipping lower to her hips. it was more than that as well...or at least her aunts had said as much. 

She smiles in return, goosebumps rising under the siren's touch. "And your aunts... they wouldn't approve?"

"Callers... we are not really supposed to court. Not to mention that you are a landling, so even speaking to you is a punishable crime."

"And why is that?" she asks, reaching over to trace a finger along the outline of Serena 's breasts through her tunic.

She smiles, but it is a harsh one, "It is a distraction. not a welcome one. We..." she shakes her head, "I told you that singing changes me, you haven't seen it because I haven't done it for very long. And I have not been putting much into my songs. But..." Her eyes grow distant.

She watches her quietly, interested. "I want to see it," she says finally, voice soft.

"No.. you dont." she says and shakes her head at the somber thought.

"Why not?" she asks, looking over. "What are you like?"

"I’m- I can be cold and dark." her voice is almost a whisper. Fear settles deep in her stomach.

She considers her for a moment, then nods. "I understand," she says gently.

"No, I don't think you do." she says, still looking away. "But if you are worried about your pod and the safety, I will show you... if you command it. "

She raised an eyebrow, studying her carefully. Finally she says "I have seen men and women who can kill a child without thought, who rip through bodies with pleasure and who sink into darkness after it. The world I work in has great darkness. Yours does not make me afraid, no matter what particular flavor it may be. Someday I want to see it, but I will not command you. Not yet."

Serena nods, almost undetectable, and falls silent. She doesn’t know how to take that. Most of the time she just followed the rules and teaching of her aunts. She followed the commands she was given.  
She shifts her arm a little further around the woman, tucking her gently into her side. "I am not promising that I won't use it if I am needed to. It is a defense, after all." Her fingers begin to rub markings onto Anthea’s hip again where her hand had been resting.

"I would not expect you to promise anything of the sort," she said, shaking her head. "We all do what we need to do."

"I... I am grateful for that. " her hands slide up and push Anthea flat to the dew damp ground. Serena leaning over her and kisses Anthea slowly.

She hums in content at that, kissing Serena back, letting her lead, one arm wrapping loosely around her waist.

Pulling back after a long moment, she looks over Anthea. "I am still this thing you call drunk. But I would like... I think. I would like for you to continue my lessons... so I may show you in turn how much I am grateful. I want to learn. So, teach!" She smiles a light pink blush on her cheeks.

"Alright then," she laughs, kissing her again before smirking. "Alright... Let's have some fun." She smooths her hand up the Siren's back under her tunic, admiring her cool, silky skin. "It's very convenient that you're wearing a skirt," she chuckles.

"Hmmm? I did not enjoy the trousers that you offered. They were too tight. Perhaps I will try them some other time." She says softly.

"I figured, I didn't mean that you wore it with any intent. Just that now it is convenient for me," she said, her free hand finding Serena 's skirt and shifting it upward until she could get a hand under, palm sliding up the back of her thigh and over her arse appreciatively.

"Oh!" She gasps a little at the feeling of the hand sliding up. Anthea grips the siren's butt playfully, and she falls forward and catches herself on the woman's chest.

She hums happily, pulling upward slightly. "Come up this way," she says with a smirk.

Serena’s eyes light. "Alright." She shimmies upward along Anthea’s body.

Anthea grabs the woman's hips, pulling her upward and letting her move until her knees are beside the half-elf's shoulders. Then she winks, and ducks under the siren's skirt, leaning up to nip the inside of her thigh gently.

She lets out a small yip as Anthea ducks under and another one at the nip.

She smiles, hands still on the woman's hips, steadying her, as she traces her tongue up her thigh and then across her core.

Serena holds her body still, shaking with the effort as Anthea's tongue trails across the sensitive spots, trying to form a thought and failing.

Anthea works with lazy slowness, tongue dipping and twisting. She pauses for a moment to say, "You can move... you won't hurt me."

Serena laughs musically and plants her hands on the mossy ground, rolling her hips uncertainly. She is loving the way Anthea felt against her. Landlings were a marvel. 

The half-elf grins, pulling Serena down further and returning to her previous task, sucking on her clit gently.

With a louder moan than she intends, Serena pushes her body against the ground and Anthea both. Squirming as her senses flaring and her skin tingles.

Anthea feels her body warm as she releases for the moment and shifts down again, her tongue pressing into Serena slowly. The skirt blocked her view of anything, otherwise she might have seen the dark figure approaching in time to stop the blow that fell- hard- on Serena a moment later.

A sharp pain hits Serena and she lets out a sharp sound of shock, before slumping into unconsciousness.

Anthea isn't bothered by the noise until Serena 's weight is very suddenly fully on her. She struggles for a moment- pushing the woman off, tangled in her skirts- before she manages to get clear, already reaching for her knife. She doesn't make it. The another blow comes and she slips under. 

The man surveys them both, then shifts down to hoist Anthea up in his arms, tossing her over one broad shoulder and heading into the forest.

**Author's Note:**

> That's all, folks! More updates soon. We have the first book already written, so updates should occur with something resembling regularity. But on the flip side, we have kids, so hell only knows. Keep your shorts on. Comments make time pass faster.


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